?Ready-to-consume? range, a main factor in papaya consumption rise

Since 2013, the European papaya consumption, started to rise; a trend interrupted in 2016 but considered a temporary issue, with expectations of a new import record for 2017. Carolina Dawson, CIRAD, explains that ?thanks to the efforts made by the whole industry in terms of quality and logistic management, the development of a ?ready-to-consume? range, as well as economic factors explaining the surge of the Brazilian origin, the papaya would appear to be entering the big league on the European exotic fruits market?. Worldwide production excedes the 13 million tonnes in 2016 (FAO), obtained in Asia (56%), America (33%) and Africa (11%). Exports represent just 3% of volumes produced worldwide, ie around 350.000 tonnes in 2016. Mexico and Brazil account for nearly 70% of volumes traded worldwide. World trade has had an anual mean growth of 6% since 2011, and rised considerable since 2013. USA is the main importer, where papaya is no longer considered exotic; nearly 60% of the volumes in the market ended in the USA in 2016. Europe imported around 40.000 tones of papaya, being the 2nd import market; with very small quantities compared to the import of other tropical fruits: pineapple 1 million tonnes, banana more than 6 million tonnes. European per capita consumption remains associated with the ethnic populations and counts for around 50 grams per year; in the USA, 630 g/capita/year. Companies providing ripening technology work constantly developing better systems, more accurate, with better sensors, to get an improved control of the ripening process, lesser energy consumption, versatile installations, ? . Systems for a better logistic in the ripening chambers allow to ripe each pallet according to the specific needs of the fruit inside, allowing to manage in a proper way small amounts of produce. ? Sources Carolina Dawson, European papaya market ? A success story. FruiTrop Magazine January-February 2018: 84-89, www.fruitrop.com Picture by www.laprensa.hn, Los 10 beneficios de la papaya, por Johana Reyes RIPENING SOLUTION PROVIDERS Doors for ripening chambersAngel MirBG Door Ethylene generatorsBrancatoCatalytic Generators Gas controlVDH Products Ripening installationsInterko?