Papaye

Physical/General Attributes

• The tree is called papayer.

• The fruit has juicy flesh; when ripe, the interior is yellow/orange. The skin is non-edible and changes color as the fruit matures.

• Unripe (green) papaya is also used as a vegetable in Haiti.

Culinary Uses

• Ripe papaya is eaten raw (often by spoon), used in fruit salads, made into juice, smoothies, confit.

• Green papaya is used in cooking, for example in légim papay (a kind of vegetable preparation with papaya) or other savory preparations.

Cultural & Economic Aspects

• Papaye is one of the more popular fruits in Haiti, fairly important for local consumption.

• However, production is challenging: issues include disease/pests, seed cost, agricultural infrastructure, etc.

• There is local preference for papaye peyi (papaya grown in Haiti) over imported ones.

Nutrition

• Papaya is high in water content, low in fat and protein. It is a good source of vitamin C, and also provides some folate.