Fri Sep 12 05:23:49 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and rewritten news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
Telangana farmers are finding a market for both ripe and raw papayas. While ripe papayas are sold as fruit, raw papayas are in demand from restaurants, particularly for use in mutton biryani to tenderize the meat. Farmers are increasingly selling raw papayas to avoid losses from spoilage of ripe fruit. Telangana is a significant papaya producer, and the fruit is distributed both locally and exported to other states like Delhi and Mumbai. Farmers are increasingly using saplings for cultivation, and the crop is typically replaced after two years due to decreased yield and difficulty in harvesting from taller trees.
**News Article:**
**Telangana Farmers Find Success Selling Raw Papayas to Restaurants**
**HYDERABAD, September 12, 2025** – Papaya farmers in Telangana are diversifying their sales strategies, finding a lucrative market for raw papayas in addition to the traditional ripe fruit market. The demand stems from restaurants, particularly those serving mutton biryani, where raw papaya is used as a natural meat tenderizer.
“We sell a sack of 5 kg raw papayas for ₹150,” explains M. Narasimha Reddy, a farmer from Vikarabad. “While ripe papayas fetch a higher price, there’s a significant risk of spoilage. Selling raw allows us to minimize losses.”
This strategy is becoming increasingly common across Telangana. According to the Telangana Horticulture Department, papaya production reached 1.54 lakh metric tonnes in 2024-25, making it the third most produced fruit in the state after mangoes and sweet oranges.
“Wrapping mutton with raw papaya paste makes meat tender,” confirmed Pandari Satya Narayana, a chef at a star hotel in Hyderabad.
The harvest from Telangana is distributed through various channels. Some is auctioned at fruit markets, while vendors also travel directly to farms to purchase the produce. A. Sridhar, Medchal Horticulture and Sericulture Officer, noted that papayas with faint yellow stripes are often wrapped in paper and exported to other states, including Delhi, where they will ripen during transport.
K. Suresh, Rangareddy Deputy Director of Horticulture and Sericulture, added that produce from his district is shipped to major metropolitan areas like Delhi and Mumbai.
Farmers like S. Hanumanth Reddy near Maheshwaram in Rangareddy explained that vendors frequent their farms, buying the harvest for sale in local markets, while some individuals from the city travel out to the farms early in the morning to buy and sell the raw papaya at local markets.
The shift in papaya production strategies underscores the resilience and adaptability of Telangana farmers in navigating market demands and minimizing risks. The increased demand and use of raw papayas offers farmers increased security and revenue as they can sell both ripe and unripe papayas, creating a very lucrative crop.
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