Introduction Present status/ nutritive value Recommended varieties Nursery management Field establishment Climate and soil/ land preparation/ spacing/ time of planting/ seeding or planting Crop management Weed control/ fertilizer application/ irrigation/ pest control/ disease control Harvesting & post-harvest technology Harvesting/ post-harvest handling/ food processing Economics & marketing Extent & production/ labour requirement/ cost of production/ marketing Research Programme Abstracts of research papers Printed matereals in pdf fromat

Introduction

Generally papaya yields throughout the year. However, month following warm temperature or moisture stress causes skip in production. Papaya is cultivated in Sri Lanka primarily as a home garden crop. However, there is limited extent under commercial scale and this extent is steadily increasing but there is no significant increase in production. The reasons for these reductions may be due to some districts which are infected with virus under wet zone. Kurunegala district is the highest producer in the country. Kaluthara, Rathnapura, Gampaha, Galle, Anuradapura, Puttalam, Hambanthota and Badulla districts also have higher extents (Table 1).

At present the extent of papaya cultivation is 3123 ha, and this extent is more than the forecasted extent in the year 2005 (Projected extent 2568 ha in year 2005, Fruit Task Force Report 1995). Table 3 & 4 shows exports and imports and that indicates that papaya has a good demand for local as well as export. Rs. 0.25million worth of papaya (2184mt) has been exported to Germany, Bangladesh, Bahrain and Maldives in 1999 (Table 2). The amount imported from Thailand and Singapore to the country is more than amount exported and this shows that local demand is high, mostly this may be again for hotel industry (Table 3). The fruit is used as fresh fruit as well as for other processed products such as RTS and pickles etc. Papaya has high content of carotene (Table 4) and other vetanuns.

There is no marked price fluctuation in wholesale and retail prices except during April to June. A considerable quantity of production is lost in the postharvest phase. The highest percentage of postharvest loss is found in papaya (46%) compared to banana and pineapple.

Nutritive value (Per 100 edible portion)

Nutrient	Composition
Water	90.8g
Energy	32.8k cal
Protein	0.6g
Fat	0.1g
Carbohydrates	7.2g
Calcium	17.0mg
Phosphorus	13.0mg
Iron	0.5mg
Carotene	666.0 g
Thiamine	40.0 g
Riboflavin	250.0 g
Vit.C	57.0 g

Source: Medical Research Institute- World Health Foundation of Ceylon (1997) MRI

Medicinal Values / Uses
Ripe fruit   : Facilitates digestion, relives constipation. Useful in treatment for splenetic, hemorrhoids, skin  diseases, gastro intestinal disorders, hepatic disorders and diseases of upper respiratory tract (throat)
Unripe fruit    : Proteolysis activity, good source of papa in, used as meat tenderizer.

Major Growing Areas
Dry and Intermediate Zones

Recommended Varieties

Rathna

Rathna for dry and intermediate zones

Field Establishment

Spacing- 2.5 m x 2.5 m

Crop Management

Fertilizer application

	Wet zone	Dry /Intermediate zone
Urea	55	60
Rock phosphate	125	-
Triple Super Phosphate	-	40
Muriate of Phosphate	95	125

Pests and Diseases
Disease - Papaya Ring Spot Virus

Harvesting & post-harvest technology

Value Added Products
Fruit bars, dehydrated fruit for confectionery.