Papaya cultivation

I decided to grow papaya on my land in September 2006. I started in a small way with 35 plants. I first dug holes and mixed it with dry cow manure and prepared the land and planted seedlings that were grown in polythene sacks for about a month. When I first started growing, it was in the middle of the dry season, but as soon as the rains came in October and November, I discovered that the plants were looking sickly with too much water. So in order to save the plants I had to dig deep drains so the excess water would drain off rather than rot the roots.

So with the next set of seedlings I planted I decided to plant it above ground on mounds so there will never be water retention. This meant that I had to ensure when it no longer rains I have to deep water once a week so they get the required moisture.

I am told the dry zone is good for papaya as it is sweeter than in areas where it rains all the time. I decided to plant the Rathna variety. I initially found it hard to get seeds, and finally got some at Sara Lanka in Dambulla. All farmers in my area know of Sara Lanka, and I am sure seeing the crowds shopping there there is more business done there in a day to farmers than any other single establishment in Sri Lanka. They also sell products at a reduced rate.

The Red Lady variety of papaya seeds were 10,000/- for a kilo so the Rathna was more economical. While it is easier to grow the Red lady as many farmers would say, the fruit is too big, between 2 and 3 kilos each. If I had a Hotel account to sell then it would be OK but the people I sell my papaya want smaller fruit between 300g and 1kg and for that Rathna would be better even though the yield would be less.

Now I have about 400 plants. I have had a lot of problems with these plants, namely various viruses that stunted the plants and reduced the yields. I have only just begun harvesting my papaya. Every week I am able to pluck more fruit. I believe my fruit are the sweetest! and I am very careful as to how the fruit is plucked and packed as transporting papaya is most important to get it to the customers in the best condition.

I or my partners have to wear gloves when plucking and immediately wrap it in paper so that no human hand touches the fruit and no fruit touches each as other as that can leave marks on the fruit when they ripen. This is most important as the loss in spoilt fruit otherwise will be very high.

I have other problems too, mainly with Monkeys, both varieties, Rilawa and Wandura who love to eat the papaya leaf and therefore ruin the plant. Other animals like the pole cat and the various birds as well as rock squirral also affect the fruit. I have to cut the fruit the moment it colours as otherwise if it ripens on the tree the kola kottoruwa, the green barbet will eat it in no time.

As I am one of the few farmer in the area who sells my produce direct to the consumer, I am able to sell my papaya at between 40/- and 60/- a kilo. To customers in Colombo to whom I home deliver I can get 60/- and they can be assured that my fruit have not weedicides or pesticides. I use a thing called greener to combat the virus, but that is compatible with organic farming and is allowed.

I have got chicken manure from a local chicken farm and have also put it to improve yield and as my soil is not the best I have had to use some Chemical Fertilizer also to increase yield. I am hoping soon to develop organic fertilizer but until I have perfected it I have to use this fertilizer as otherwise my yield will be insufficient.

At the moment my plants are giving me 100kg of papaya a week. I am thankful for that as my first crop other than rice from this land from what I have planted. I got the mangos from trees already on the property when I bought it in August 2006