ABCD de l'Exotique, an importer based at the Rungis MIN, has been selling papaya for around 20 years. "Currently, the market mainly features Brazilian origin, as well as Spanish and African papaya, but in very small quantities", reports David Besnard, manager of the company.
Like many importers who rely on air transport, ABCD de l'Exotique is facing logistical difficulties: "We mainly deal with Formosa papaya, which we transport by air. Since Covid, we have experienced some rather chaotic moments due to the hazards of loading, the increase in transport costs and the availability of air freight. Today, even if the situation remains difficult, it is still better than it was once. And the advantage is that it generates relatively high and constant prices," says David Besnard.
As for consumption, it is currently rather stable. "We have moved upmarket in recent years, especially with regard to the Formosa papaya, a fruit weighing around 1kg, which is more powerful in terms of taste than its smaller counterpart, the Golden papaya, which is generally around 600g. People consume more and more papaya all year round. There is no real spike in sales, they are currently quite regular.
For more information:
David Besnard
ABCD de l'Exotique
Tel: 01 46 87 21 32