March 29, 2024

ONE ACRE INVESTMENT UNDER PAW PAW FARMING

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Scientific name: Carica papaya

Local names:

English: Pawpaw; Swahili: papaya. Pawpaw is a widely cultivated fruit tree in the tropics and subtropics. General Benefits of Pawpaw Ripe papaya is a favorite breakfast and dessert fruit that is available year-round.

It can be used to make fruit salads, refreshing drinks, jam, jelly, marmalade, candies and crystallized fruits. Green fruits are pickled or cooked as a vegetable.

Suitable Growth Condition

Papaya thrives in warm areas with adequate rainfall and a temperature range of 21-33°C. Its altitude range is similar to that of the banana, from sea level to elevations at which frosts occur (often around 1600 m). However they grow best in areas below 1000 m.

The quality and yield are low at higher altitudes. Frost can kill the plant, and cool and overcast weather delays fruit ripening and depresses fruit quality. Fruit tastes much better when grown during a warm sunny season. Evenly distributed annual rainfall of 1200 mm is sufficient if water conservation practices are employed.

Papaya grows best in light, well-drained soils rich in organic matter with soil pH of 6.0-6.5. It can tolerate any kind of soil provided it is well-drained and not too dry. The roots are very sensitive to water logging and even short periods of flooding can kill the plants.

 

RELATED: Earn six million on one acre under grafted tree tomato.

 

PLANTING

Papaya is propagated by seed. To reproduce the desired characteristics it is best to get seeds through controlled pollination. Use of sterilized soil minimizes losses resulting from nematodes and damping-off fungi. Germination takes 2-3 weeks.

Another practice is to sow the seeds in sterilized nursery beds and to prick out at the 2-3-leaf stage, transferring 3-4 seedlings to each container. Seedlings are transplanted about 2 months after sowing when they reach the 3-4-leaf stage or 20 cm height, preferably at the onset of the rainy season.

During transplanting, take care not to disturb the roots. Older seedlings recover poorly after planting out. Papaya needs adequate drainage and is often planted on mounds or ridges. Transplants must be watered regularly until they are established. Field spacing are in the order of 3 x 2 m to 2.50 x 1.60 m, giving densities of 1667 and 2500 plants/ha respectively.

Thinning to one female or one hermaphrodite plant per hill is done when the plants reach the flowering stage. In the absence of hermaphrodite plants, 1 male plant per 25 – 100 female plants is retained as pollinator.

Papaya plants grown from seed produce fruits of different shapes, sizes, colour and even taste. Vegetative propagation of papaya provides a solution to most of these problems. The clone is selected for higher productivity and good quality fruits besides agronomic qualities such as dwarfness for easy harvesting and good resistance to diseases.

Planting holes of 2*2*2 ft are prepared with 1 bucket of compost and is mixed in with the dugout soil and returned around the plant. Firm the soil and water liberally and add mulch around the young plant.

The farmer can choose to grow the crops conventionally or do organic farming.

 

Inter cropping

Papaya grows best when planted in full sunlight. However, it can be planted as an inter crop under coconut, or as a cash crop between young fruit trees such as mango or citrus. Low growing annual crops such as capsicums, beans, onions and cabbages are suitable good inter crops.

Harvesting

The stage of physiological development at the time of harvest determines the flavor and taste of the ripened fruit. The fruit matures at 9 months after transplanting. The appearance of traces of yellow colour on the fruit indicates that it is ready for harvesting. Fruits harvested early have longer post-harvest life, but give abnormal taste and flavor. The fruits also tend to shrivel and suffer chilling injuries when refrigerated. The fruit is twisted until the stalk snaps off or cut with a sharp knife. Yields per tree vary from 75 to 150 fruits annually, giving 35 to 50 tons of fruit per ha per year. A papaya plantation can be productive for over 10 years but the economical period is only the first 3 to 4 years. It is therefore advisable to renew the plantation every 4 years.

 

COST AND RETURNS FROM ONE ACRE

Number of seedlings in one acre at a spacing of 6ft*9ft 800-900 plants.

For 800 plants.

Item description Unit cost (800) Total cost
Manure One bucket per hole @30 24000
Holes Digging, transport of manure to the hole, mixing and planting @30 24000
Seedlings Certified @50
Fertilizer N.P.K

C.A.N

@70

@70

800

1500

Pesticides Entire season 5000
Fungicides Entire season 5000
Water Entire season 20000
Management farm manager, (Weeding, splaying etc) @7000 for 9 months 63000
Misleneous 7000
TOTAL COST 150000
Return per year.
75 fruits per plant

150 fruits per plant

With 800 plants

With 800 plants

@30

@30

1.8 million

3.6 million

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54 thoughts on “ONE ACRE INVESTMENT UNDER PAW PAW FARMING

  1. Hi,
    I am interested can it do well at Kajiado Ildamat,I have half acre and if it can do how much will it cost.

    Regards
    Patrick

    1. yes the can do well in Kajiado. a half acre can accommodate 400-450 plants. each seedling goes for ksh50 plus other cost of farming. contact us 0723662773 for more info 0723662773

  2. Hello, this is awesome, just a point of concern, do you deal with hybrids that are as a result of genetic alterations or are your seeds purely inbred lines

    Thanks

  3. I am from Sabah, Malaysia. I have an acre of land. Can you give costing and return in Ringgit Malaysia please?

  4. Good morning, what variety of paw paw seedlings do you have. My farm is in mombasa so how would i get the seedlings should i be interested.
    Can you connect me with buyers of the crop who would be interested maybe an exporter. What other advivce do you have of a crop that can do well im coast province with an export market potential
    Thanks

    1. Thankyou Francis, we have Solo sunrise variety that does well in Mombasa and we do deliver seedling in case you my need them. we will guide you on how the export market for paw paw operate, we also have other varieties of crops that do well in coastal areas. contact us for more information on 0723662773

  5. Hi Guys, where are you based? I need 20 seedlings for a farm along Kiambu Road. How long do they take to start producing? I planted some 6 months ago and they haven’t left the ground in height.

    James ,0724082450.

  6. This is good information. Am interested in paw paw farming, which type can do better in Mwingi (Kitui county)
    My contact 0720 374802

    Regards.

  7. Hello this is Petro from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I have ten acres suitable for growing papaya.

    Kindly advice me on the better seed variety together with availability to start the farming this month.

  8. I like it and I have started digging hole. Can I get Solo and sunrise papaya variety seedlings and at how much per seedling. I need 200 please
    QUESTION. THERE a papaya variety which I understand that when picking starts one IS ABLE TO PICK ONE FRUIT PER TREE PER DAY. WHICH VARIETY IS THIS. i DEARLY IN NEED OF IT

    My phone 0721243134

  9. Hi,do you offer compensation of seedlings just in case one or two seedlings dies as a result of catastrophes such as flood and one would like to do the filling.

  10. Hello oxfarm,
    Am very humbled to know you,
    Am at Kibwezi, looking forward to get contract farming companies, are you in position to work with me, again advice which variety can thrive well here, and how I can get the seedlings to raise them in my own nursery pls .
    0706928792.

  11. Comment
    am thinking about pawpaw farming instead of planting miraa in mbeere kindly advise if it can work in mbeere and which is the suitable variety

    1. Am ready to do farming of pawpaw. please advise me on how to manage this farming. I have enough water for irrigation incase of drought . Am already set seedlings to the nursery and made 400 holes for transportation. Am at Makueni county Kenya. Please help me.thanks says:

      Am ready to do farming of pawpaw. please help me on how to manage this farming. Have already set seedlings to the nursery. Have dig 400 holes to transplant them. Please advise me on this.

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  13. HI MY NAME IS ANTONY I HAVE A FARM IN BAHATI NAKURU AND HAVE PLANTED PAWPAW,MY PROBLEM IS IF IM GOING TO GET THE MARKET,PLEASE ADVISE WHERE TO FIND THE MARKET

  14. Also kindly advise me if the climatic conditions at the Coast to be specific, in Mombasa are favourable for the growth of Hass Avacado.

  15. Hello.
    Are you present in Zimbabwe? If so may i have contacts. Also if you are not in Zimbabwe will i be able to work with you from Gweru, Zimbabwe?

  16. Hi, I’m Douglas Gwademba from Westlands – Nairobi. I’m intending to venture into paw paw farming at Oltepesi region which is situated along Magadi road approximately 80km from Nairobi & Ngelani in Machakos county.
    Kindly advice me on the best varieties for these regions and link me to the market both local and export.
    Also send me production guide featuring cost of production per acre with agronomic and cultural practices involved in the project.

  17. Quite interactive ,however vertual.keep it up.i need a quatation of sunrise pawpaw variety.i have a piece of garden measuring 50 by 100ft.please advice,thanks.

  18. Hi oxfarm ,am Eric from kitui am interested in farming pawpaw which variety can be planted in kitui and how many seedlings can give me like three hundred thousand plus

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