Papaya varieties flooding markets in city, outskirts

Rangareddy: As the festive season of Ramadan moves shoulder-to-shoulder with the scorching summer, markets in the city and outskirts are flooded with both fresh leafy vegetables as well as mouth-watering fruits of different varieties. Although the heat wave continues, the foot-fall in the markets remains high as the bazaars and weekly markets are witnessing fresh arrivals of delicious fruits from different parts of the neighbouring districts.

Among them, multiple varieties of papaya, considered as storehouse of nutrients, are the one catching the customer's eyes. This tropical fruit contains vitamins A, C, E, and folate and is packed with fibre and digestive enzyme called papain. Known as a special delicacy of the summer, papaya comes largely from villages located surrounding the city.

"Most farmers love to grow papaya not just because it is a profitable with less care and high-yielding but because it is a climate adoptive crop and easily marketable having all-time demand in markets both in the city on the outskirts," said Mohammed Adeeb Ahmed, a seasoned farmer who primarily raises papaya in his farmland at Agarmiyaguda village in Kandukur mandal. Among the papaya variety being brought to the city markets every day, especially from Ranga Reddy district, he said, OP fruit, also known as No.15, is considered highly safe to raise by farmers.