Growing papaya
Before you start

Patricia Chay et al ., Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

This information has been extracted from the Agrilink Papaya Information Kit, which provides information on all aspects for growing and marketing papaya in Queensland.

Introduction

This is a checklist of the essential things you need to know before you start growing papaya. It will help you make the right decisions. We provide more detail on important areas in other sections of the Agrilink Papaya Information Kit.

An overview of the Queensland papaya industry

Queensland grows about 500 ha of papaya, mainly around Innisfail and Mareeba, with smaller acreages in Proserpine, Yarwun, Gympie and the Sunshine Coast.

The major types of papaya grown include yellow-fleshed dioecious lines and red-fleshed bisexual lines. The yellow-fleshed lines are usually either F1 hybrids or open pollinated, while the red bisexual lines are usually inbred. More red-fleshed varieties are becoming available and these may be either F1 hybrids or inbred lines, and either dioecious or bisexual types.

More than 95% of papayas are grown for the fresh market with the remainder going to a minor processing industry. Fruit are harvested all year round with production peaks during autumn and spring.

The Australian papaya market is relatively small and can easily be oversupplied. There is a low level of consumer awareness of the fruit in Australia and generally low consumption of about 1 kg per head of population per year. The market size could increase but this would depend on successful market development.

With increasing production anticipated, growers will have to accept more responsibility for marketing, rather than being driven by production.

Most papaya growers also grow a range of other crops, for example sugarcane, banana, mango, avocado, other tree fruits and vegetables. Many growers also raise cattle.

About the plant

The papaya is a soft-wooded, perennial plant that lives for about five years, though commercial plantations are usually replanted sooner. It normally grows as a single stem up to 4 m high. A crown of large palmate leaves at the top of the stem grows directly from the trunk.

The plant starts to flower five to eight months from planting and the fruit is ready to harvest five to six months after that. The plants grow fastest in warmer climates with good growing conditions. The fruit form in the leaf axils and hang on the tree after the leaves fall. Commercial harvesting continues for about two years until the trees become too tall to pick easily or tree losses become a problem.

There are two distinct papaya plant types: dioecious and gynodioecious.

Dioecious papayas have male and female flowers on different plants. This means that both male and female plants are needed for fruit production (Figure 1).  The yellow-fleshed varieties such as Hybrid 1B, Hybrid 11, Hybrid 13 and Hybrid 29 are the main dioecious papayas grown in Queensland.

Gynodioecious papayas, more commonly called bisexual lines, have trees that can be female or bisexual. Bisexual flowers have both male and female parts within the same flower and can be self-pollinated.  Examples arthe variety, Sunrise Solo, Paris and New Guinea Red.

Figure 1. A male (left) and a female papaya plant from a dioecious papaya variety

The sex of a papaya plant can't be determined until it starts to flower. Growers plant more plants than they need to allow for the removal of unwanted plants at flowering.

Know your market and what variety to grow

The variety you grow will depend on the market you wish to supply and the geographic location of your farm. Most of the Queensland papaya crop is consigned to the metropolitan wholesale markets of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Newcastle (Figure 2). Small amounts are exported and the remainder is sold locally.

Varieties you could consider include the yellow-fleshed hybrid varieties Hybrid 29 and Hybrid 14 in central Queensland and the inbred yellow-fleshed PG lines and Richter selections in south-east Queensland. 

The established yellow hybrid varieties, Hybrid 1B and Hybrid 11B, and the red-fleshed Sunrise Solo, are the most popular papaya varieties grown in north Queensland, with Hybrid 29 grown in the lower rainfall areas. Other red-fleshed varieties are increasing in popularity in north Queensland and may be worth testing in central and south-east Queensland.

Figure 2. Approximate percentage of Queensland papaya production sent to four states

Know what you are getting into

Successful papaya production depends on a favourable growing environment, careful planning and crop management, and a commitment to quality. Growers will need to be business-like and adopt food safety and quality assurance programs.

Prepare a thorough business plan before starting papaya production. This will indicate what return you can expect on the investment. We suggest you don't plan to plant more than 1 ha in the first year. It can take up to four years to gain sufficient experience to manage papayas profitably.

Papayas are a popular first crop with new growers as they are seen as providing a quicker return than most other tree crops. Prices are often depressed during peak production periods, however, and many things can go wrong with the crop.

Over the past few years, papaya has been a popular crop for diversification for sugarcane growers in the Innisfail district. The reasons for this popularity include perceived quick returns, higher profitability from smaller areas of land and low capital for establishment because growers already own the land and most of the required machinery.

In the central and southern districts, there is a high probability of devastating dieback, yellow crinkle and mosaic disease outbreaks in one in five years. The lethal papaya ringspot virus is also present in south-east Queensland. The presence of black spot in south Queensland since 1994 has also added greatly to management costs. In coastal north Queensland, there is a high probability of severe losses to root rot diseases each year. Dieback has also been more prevalent in north Queensland in recent years. Cyclones, floods and extended rain periods can also cause significant or complete losses.

Papaya is a labour intensive crop requiring harvesting and packing at least once a week all year round. In north Queensland, harvesting and packing is required twice a week during most of the year.

The papaya is a fragile fruit that is easily damaged. It needs careful handling to prevent skin blemishes and bruising.

What you can expect to make

Yields

Yield and fruit quality varies with location, variety, crop management, disease incidence and the weather. Harvesting begins 10 to 16 months from planting, depending on your location and time of planting.

Marketable yields range from 40 to 90 tonnes per hectare for a 12-month harvest period. This equates to yields of 1.5 to 6 cartons (13 kg) per bearing tree per year. Yields are generally higher in north Queensland than in central and south-east Queensland.

Prices and throughput

Prices for papaya vary in any one year and from year to year. The price can range from $4 to $45 per carton because of variations in supply and fruit quality. Prolonged higher prices are only achieved when significant natural disasters such as cyclones, storms or floods damage a large section of the tropical papaya industry.

The average Brisbane Market price from 1992 to 1999 for yellow papaya was about $12.33 per 30 L carton (Figure 3). Red papayas are sold in 30 L cartons in the Brisbane market, however, most are sent to Sydney and Melbourne in 18 L cartons. Throughputs for red papaya in Brisbane are not known but an average price of $15.50 per 30 L carton was achieved. The prices do not include deductions such as agent's commission and levies. Premium prices are paid for well presented packs of uniform, blemish-free fruit with a developed reputation for shelf-life and flavour.

Figure 3. Annual Brisbane Market throughputs and prices for yellow papaya only

Sydney (Flemington Markets) prices are usually used as benchmark prices (Figure 4). Prices are fairly elastic and inversely correspond to supply. Markets for yellow-fleshed and red-fleshed papayas are treated independently, as there appears to be definite market segmentation.

Variable costs

Variable costs include crop operations, harvesting and marketing costs. These costs can range between $15 000 and $26 000 to plant and grow 1 ha of papaya. An additional $40 000 to $60 000 per hectare is required to harvest, pack, transport and market papayas. Total variable costs will depend on farm location and the management system in place.

The productive life of a papaya plantation is usually two to 2.5 years in north Queensland, two to three years in central Queensland and three to four years in south-east Queensland.

Papayas are usually harvested 10 to 12 months from planting in north and central Queensland and after 16 months in south-east Queensland.

Figure 4. Historical pricing and throughputs for yellow and red papaya in Sydney between January 1996 and June 1998

Expected income

Farm profit for papaya is dependent on yield and price. A small change in market prices can mean the difference between profit and loss. Based on an average production of 6600 cartons per hectare per crop cycle (10 months growth plus 14 months picking) in north Queensland and an average price of $15 per 13 kg or 30 L carton, you would expect a gross income of $99 000 per hectare. This would mean a gross margin of between $13 000 and $44 000 per hectare. A gross margin is the difference between the gross income and the variable costs of production.

Farm operating costs, fixed costs and living expenses will need to be deducted from the gross return. The gross margin does not include the labour supplied by the grower or the grower's family. These need to be included in a whole enterprise budget.

You will also need to consider the yield performance and the inputs for your particular location and management experience, as they will have a significant impact on your expected income.

Potential growers should undertake a detailed economic analysis before they start growing papaya.

The capital you need

You would need at least $80 000 to $120 000 to establish a papaya plantation of 6000 trees (3.5 ha). This includes the cost of trees and their establishment, a permanent watering system, machinery, harvesting equipment and a packing shed but not the cost of a house and land. You will also need a ripening facility in central and south-east Queensland.

The farm you need

Soil

Papayas perform best on deep, well-drained soils with high organic matter. Most soil types are suitable but avoid heavy clay soils. A topsoil depth of 1 m is preferred for optimum growth and production, with a minimum depth of 0.5 m essential to avoid waterlogging.

Drainage

Good drainage is very important for papaya production to minimise loss of trees to root rots and waterlogging. Papaya does not like wet soils, so avoid sites that are prone to seepage or waterlogging. We recommend mounding soil to 75 cm in higher rainfall areas to increase drainage from the root zone for disease management and up to 30 cm for erosion control.

Slope

Slopes of less than 15% are recommended for efficient labour and machinery management, safety and access, and to reduce the erosion risk.

Water

Irrigation is essential to maintain tree growth, leaf cover, fruit set and production. The maximum water requirement is about 160 L/tree/week for under-tree minisprinklers (also known as microsprinklers) and 50 L/tree/week for drippers or driplines. Overhead irrigation is not recommended.

Papayas can be damaged by salty water. Always check the water quality before designing the irrigation system. Avoid irrigation water of more than 1.2 deciSiemens per metre.

Climate

Papaya is a tropical plant that grows best in warmer climates. It can be grown successfully in warm, frost-free locations in coastal south Queensland. Cool winter conditions will slow growth. Frost-free sites are essential, as papaya plants are susceptible to frost damage. Soil temperatures below 15°C will limit growth. In south-east Queensland northerly and north-easterly aspects are preferred to promote winter growth and fruit set.

The temperature of the locality influences the type of flowers and fruit that are formed on a tree.

Wind

Wind reduces growth and fruit set, damages leaves and blemishes fruit. Protection from damaging south-easterly, westerly and northerly winds is essential. Windbreaks are recommended for all farms.

The machinery and equipment you need

The equipment requirement includes:

• tractor
• slasher
• 4WD trayback utility
• separate sprayers for herbicides and pesticides
• picking trailer, harvest-aids
• packing/machinery/chemical sheds
• dipping/spraying/washing equipment
• cold room
• ripening room
• cultivation equipment
• irrigation system
• tensiometers or capacitance probes
• picking poles
• fertiliser spreader.

You may not need to buy some equipment if contract cultivation services are available in your area.

The labour you need

The papaya crop is labour intensive. Two people should be able to manage 1 ha of bearing trees without assistance. This includes fertilising, watering, pest, disease and weed control, picking and packing.

Casual labour is needed to help with harvesting and packing on larger plantations. If you have a mixed enterprise farm, you may need to hire extra casual labour if chores for crops overlap.

You will need skills in labour management and the ability to train staff as training and supervision of casual staff is essential for harvesting and packing. The ability to organise casual labour is also necessary.

Other considerations

Knowledge of marketing and a commitment to quality throughout the entire production and marketing system are essential if you wish to maximise your returns. Regular communication with people in the market chain, as well as other growers, is an integral part of this process.

The marketing of papayas needs to be highly organised. Most papayas are sold as fresh fruit at the major metropolitan wholesale markets. You need to maintain close contact with your wholesaler and visit the major market in which your fruit is sold at least once a year. Smaller quantities are sold direct to retailers or consumers or sent for processing.

Profitability is dependent on a commitment to quality. Accurate record keeping and strict financial management are essential. Trends in papaya marketing are changing rapidly and you should maintain close contact with your wholesale agent(s) and local producer association.

To be successful, the orchard must be run as a business. Increasingly, growers will need to have an understanding of and be skilled in:

• supply chain management
• quality assurance and food safety programs
• marketing strategies
• environmental management
• financial management
• pest and disease identification, monitoring and management.

The management of major insect pests and diseases is essential. Growers need to identify and monitor pest and disease activity and take prompt action.

Quality assurance and food safety programs are becoming a prerequisite for sale of product to some supermarkets. You may need to have a quality assurance and/or food safety system in place. There are several systems that can form the basis for your system including Freshcare, HACCP, SQF 2000CM and ISO 9002.

Organic production

Organic papaya production is of interest to some growers but it has some drawbacks due to pest and disease pressures and a lack of suitable organic control options.

Growers should consider the following factors in commercial papaya production before excluding synthetic fertilisers and pesticides:

• There are no effective biological controls for fruitspotting bug. Damage can be reduced by not planting near dense bush.
• Most Queensland soils have low organic matter and nutrient levels. Considerable time and effort may be required to build up these levels.
• There is no effective non-chemical control for the fungal problem black spot, which can cause severe leaf drop and result in unmarketable fruit.

If you do plan to grow papayas organically, select a location away from other papaya patches and dense scrub to reduce the impact from leaf diseases and infestation from insect pests.

Further information

The complete Agrilink Papaya Information Kit, produced by the Agrilink Information Unit of the DPI&F, provides information on all aspects of growing and marketing papaya in Queensland.

The kit includes the following sections:

• Before you start
  A checklist of things you need to know before you start growing the crop.
• Common questions
  The 20 or so most commonly asked questions about growing the crop.
• Growing the crop
  Our guide for establishing, producing and marketing the crop.
• Key issues
  Detailed information on the key decisions affecting the crop.
• Problem solver
  A picture series of the common problems and how to solve them.
• Contacts and references
  A list of industry organisations, product suppliers, and further reading.
• Index
  An A to Z index to help you find information quickly.
• Your information
  A place to store your special information.

Contact Agrilink on our Infoline on 1800 677 640, by e-mail to agrilink@dpi.qld.gov.au or via the Agrilink web site www.dpi.qld.gov.au/agrilink/ to order the kit or for further information on the Agrilink series.

For commercial enquiries on papayas, contact:

DPI&F Call Centre. Phone 13 25 23 (Queensland residents, 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. weekdays). Non-Queensland residents: Phone (07) 3404 6999. Email: callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au

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Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.

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Last reviewed 19 December 2005