Interview with Mr. Sudhansu regarding Papain

Q: Tell me about papain production. It is profitable?

Sudhansu :Papain is obtained from young papaya fruit and has importance in agro-industry. The latex contain 5 enzymes in which papain is important. Papain production is profitable because from papaya you can harvest papaya fruits for marketing and papain obtaining is become a side business. Approximately Rs. 35,000 profits can be obtain per year per hectare.

Q: Which varieties suitable for papain production?

Shri Haribhau:Co-2, Washington, Co-7 and Co-5 are the suitable varieties of papaya for papain production.

Q: What is the papain collecting procedure?

Sudhansu :To obtain papain, fruits of 70-75 days old are selected. The latex can be obtained by tapping the fruit in 4 places. Latex can be obtaining upto the 110 days of fruits. From a one fruit latex can be obtain 5-10 times at an interval of 3-4 days. Care should be taken that tapping should be only of 2mm deep and it is taken from upward to downward direction without damaging the pulp. To obtain latex clean blade, steel knife or plastic knife should be used. For collection of latex Rexene cloth should be used. Dried latex should be collected separately. Collected latex should be store in a clean can and for preservation potassium metabisulphide or sodium metabi sulphide used @ 0.5 kg per 100 kg of latex.

Q: At what time it should be collected?

Sudhansu :The best time to obtain clean latex is early in the morning or in the evening.

Q: What is the procedure of preparing papain powder?

Sudhansu :The latex collecting from farmers is blended with netted mesh pan to remove foreign material and it is allowed to settle down. Then after sometimes milk like latex is filtered then a thin spray of this liquid in dryer is spread. Due to heat in spray dryer a powder of papain is obtained.

Q: How papain is exported, at what temperature it is stored and about quantity which is packed for export?

Sudhansu :For exporting crude papain an airtight can is used. But papain powder is more preferred for exporting and it can be pack in polythene bags. These bags are pack in fibre drum. These fibre drums are stored at 5-9⁰C in cold storage. For exporting, packing of 5,10,20,25,and 50 kg are prepared.

Q: What is the uses of papain?

Sudhansu :Papain is used for the clarification of beverages, used as a meat tenderizer, in the manufacture of medicines, in tanning process, softening and glazing of wool, in bakeries for cooking pulses, in paper making factory, in chewgum, toothpaste, toothpowder and cheese etc. It is also used in photography.

Q: Which are the papain exporting and importing countries?

Sudhansu :Papain exporting countries are Zaire, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, Srilanka, Kenya, Israel, Philippines, and India. Papain importing countries are America, Canada, Japan, England, Belgium, Australia, France, West Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Argentina, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Portuguese, Poland, New Zealand.

Q: In Maharashtra where we can sale the papain/latex?

Sudhansu :Buyer of papain in Maharashtra are:
Enzochem Laborites, A/P. Tal: Yawale, Dist: Nashik.
Jain Brothers, Near Chitra Theatre, Polan Peth, Jalagaon.

Advice to Farmers

Alongwith papaya fruits there is scope for papain production as it has importance in following industries viz. medicine, photography, paper factories, tenderizing of meat and in clarification of beverages. On an average 800 gram latex is obtain from a papaya tree. If we planted papaya by keeping 8’X8’ distance 2000 plants can be planted. And after removing diseased and male plants 1500 plants remain per hectare. Approximately 1200 kg of latex can be obtained from these 1500 plants. If price of latex is Rs. 40 per kg there is profit of Rs. 48,000 per hectare only from latex. Besides this approximately Rs. 60,000 can be obtained by marketing the fruits. Earning from latex and fruits Rs.1, 08,000. Production of fruits and latex can be obtained upto two years thus there is a profit of Rs. 70,000. Considering total expenditure (approximately) Rs. 38,000 there is profit of Rs. 35,000 per year. Thus papain production is profitable.