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Why invest in “Sinta” papaya production?

All over the world, fruits are being recognized as a healthful part of the human diet. This trend makes papaya more popular than ever. Consumers value the substantial amount of beta-carotene, Vitamin A, calcium, dietary fiber, and other minerals in fresh papaya fruits.

The development of “Sinta” papaya is reviving the industry that was devastated by the ringspot disease caused by papaya ringspot virus (PRSV). Sinta is the first Philippine-bred hybrid papaya which is moderately tolerant to PRSV.

Sinta produces more quality fruits that the ordinary papaya strains. It is early maturing thus growers can harvest fruits from 8 to 9 months after transplanting. It is a semi-dwarf making it easier to harvest the 1750 fruits it produces per tree even if infected with the PRSV. The other papaya strains normally yield only five firm fresh and weighs 1.2-2.0 kg/piece, making it easy to transport and sell.

What do I need to prepare to go into Sinta papaya productions?

The following are recommended production management.

Land preparation. Cultivate the soil and make sure that clumps are broken up.

Sowing. Soak seeds in clean water for 2-3 days. Change the water daily. Prepare the growing medium by mixing one part coir dust and one part rice hull. Place the medium in a polybag and sow one seed/bag. Water daily but do not oversoak.

Transplanting. Transplant on seedling per hill after 4 weeks from germination or when seedlings are about 20 cm high. Plant the seedlings 2 m apart within rows and the rows should be 3-3.5 m apart. It is best to plant on the onset of the dry season.

Irrigation. Water the newly transplanted seedlings daily until they are well established in the field. After which, water the plant at least twice a week to sustain flowering and fruiting. During the rainy season, hill up the soil around the base of the plant to improve drainage.

Fertilizer application. The following is the general fertilizer recommendation for papaya.

Time	Amount/Tree (volume)	Type of Fertilizer
At planting	50g (1/2 handful)	Ammonium sulfate
1st month	50g (1/2 handful)	Ammonium sulfate
2nd month	100g (1 handful)	Complete
4th month	100g (1 handful) 20-40g (1-2 tsp)	Complete Borax
6th month	100g (1 handful)	Complete
Every 2 months	100g (1 handful)	Complete

Weeding. Remove weeds around the plant. During the dry season, apply mulch around the base of the plant. A mulch is a protective covering usually of leaves or straw placed around the plants to prevent loss of moisture and growth of weeds.

Harvesting. Do not allow fruits to ripen on the plant. Promptly harvest the fruits that are yellow near the tip. This will prevent fruitly damage. To harvest, twist the fruit until the stalk snaps or cut the stalk with a sharp knife.

How much do I earn from producing Sinta papaya? (2007 pricing)

The main source of income from this venture is the sale of fresh fruits.

Yield kg/hectare - 19,859 (approx.)

• Farmgate price/kg - P7.00
• Wholesale price/kg - 15.00

Gross Return/Hectare

• Farmgate price/kg - P139,013
• Wholesale price/kg - P297,885

Production Cost/Ha

Total production cost - P 39,418
Marketing cost - P 48,973
Total cost - P 88,391
Net income

• Farmgate price/kg - P99,585
• Wholesale price/kg - P209,494

For more information, contact:

D. Patricio S. Faylon - Executive Director
PCARRD, Los Banos, Laguna
Tel: (049) 536-0015 to 20
Fax: (049) 536-0016
Email: pcarrd@pcarrd.dost.gov.ph
Web: www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph

photo from wegmans.com

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