The firm Combifruit, based in Quito, Ecuador, counts with 80 hectares dedicated to the growing of papayas in the Quevedo region, with expectations to reach 115 hectares by the end of the year. The Quevedo region, with a warm and humid climate, is ideal for papaya growing.
At the moment the variety being produced is the Sunrise Solo.
"This papaya variety is the sweetest in the market, with sugar levels between 11 and 13 Brix," explains Nathalie Landázuri, Sales Manager of the firm.
"Unless clients request a different label or packaging, we sell the papayas under our own brand, Combi Papaya, in boxes of 3.5 and 4.5 kg and sizes from 6 to 10."
"To achieve a uniform production, farms are located near the packing plant," notes Nathalie. Currently they count on GlobaGap's certification and Europe is receiving exports, mainly to the Netherlands, where shipments usually take around 17 to 18 days to arrive. They also have clients in Spain and Germany. "We do not export to the US yet due to the demands concerning the thermal treatment of fruit, on which we are now working," she points out.
"Our goal is to double the amount of containers shipped weekly and diversify our exports to new markets all over the world. We are also not limited to papayas. If markets and clients demand other types of fruit, we will go for it," concluded Nathalie.
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Nathalie Landazuri