History Of Papaya

Papaya is native to tropical America, Central America and Southern Mexico. Seeds were brought to Panama and then Dominican Republic before 1525. The cultivation spread to warm altitudes in South and Central America, Bahamas, West Indies and Southern Mexico and to Bermuda in 1616. It reached to Philippines in 1550 and then reached to Malacca and India. In 1626, seeds were sent to Naples from India. Papaya is well known to all tropical regions of Old World and Pacific Islands and has got naturalized in many areas. It was brought from Bahamas to Florida.

Till 1959, papaya was cultivated in Southern and Central Florida. Today it is commercially produced in Hawaii, the Philippines, tropical Africa, Ceylon, India, Australia and Malaya but produced in smaller scale in Latin America and South America. Papaya has become the leading fruits of Southern Mexciso and 40% of the crop in this country is produced in Veracruz on 14800 acres which yields 120000 tons annually.

The term papaya also specifies the fruit of other Carica species such as C. stipulate and C. pubescens and their various hybrids. Papaya is also known as Mamon, Melon-tree, Paw paw, Pawpaw, Tree melon, Mummy Apple, Mamão and Melon Tree.

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