The fruit is cylindrically long, pear shaped or round, it is orange to orange-red, sweet and juicy when ripe. Unripe papaya makes for a good concoction of vegetable stew, salad or pickle. The fruit is rich in Vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein, carbohydrates and phosphorous.
Papaya thrives best in areas with dry climate ( 25-30C ) with annual rainfall of 1,200 mm to 1,500 mm distributed throughout the year. Normally, it is a crop for low to medium elevations (from sea level to 900 meters above sea level) with humid to fairly humid conditions. It requires ample sunshine and protection from strong winds.
Papaya is adapted to a wide range of soils but its grows best in well- drained light textured soils with pH range from 5-6.5.Good drainage is important as water logging kills plants. Sticky and calcareous soil are not good as rain water, may accumulate in the soil even only for a few hours. In this case, raised beds and drainage ditch are recommended.
Papaya generally starts to flower after 5 months from seedling and the first harvest is obtained 4 to 5 months later. When intended for vegetable, papaya can be harvested when fruit is at color break to ripe. For shipping to distant market the fruits should be harvested when the apical end starts turning yellow and the latex is no longer milky. Do not allow fruits to ripen on the plant and they should not be dropped to the ground to avoid possible injuries. Use step ladder or plumber helper with long bamboo pole to pick the fruits if the tree grows taller.
To harvest, to twist the fruit until its stalk snaps off the plant or cut the stalk with sharp knife.
The productive lifespan of papaya gradually ends on the 3rd or 4th year. As the tree matures, production also slackens. The yield of well-managed papaya plantation is 35 to 40 tons per hectare.