After the U.S. government opened the possibility of importing papaya from Ecuador, once some health parameters are met, RILESA wants to export this elongated variety that has a juicy pulp.
The new plantation is in the AnaCardo hacienda and was planted three months ago. Some of the trees have already begun to sprout flowers. Expectations are that the first harvest of this crop, which is irrigated with a drip system, will be ready within two months.
Jorge Trujillo, administrative manager of the estate, says that this variety is sold in the domestic market and that it was very appreciated by Latinos and Asians in North America. "Eight out of ten containers entering the United States are of the Maradol variety while the other two are of the Hawaiian variety," said the entrepreneur.
Part of the demand by the U.S., in order to accept Ecuadorian papayas, is for the fruit to pass through a hydrothermal wash. To do so, the country needs to build some plants.
According to Trujillo, while they build these structures, they expect to come to some sort of agreement with the hydrothermal plants that package mangoes so that they would also process the papaya that would be sent to the United States.
Roberto Castillo, president of Corpapaya, stated that a $200,000 dollar investment was needed to build a plant.
According to government estimates, the U.S. papaya market may represent a potential $3 million dollar a year, with the prospect that the sales increase by 300%.
2,200 papaya trees can be planted in a hectare. Maradol papayas can weight between 1.5 and 4 kilos.
Source: Entorno Inteligente