00:05Papaya fields are spreading across Côte d'Ivoire.
00:10Lago Noleba made the switch back in 2023 after years of working with cocoa and rubber.
00:21Papaya is a seasonal crop with a maximum lifespan of 24 to 30 months.
00:26Six months after planting, it can be harvested for 24 to 30 months.
00:31So it's a crop that doesn't take long to grow and generate significant income.
00:37On his one-and-a-half hectare plot, Noleba produces between 50 to 100 tons of the tropical fruit each
00:46year.
00:46He says, unlike with other crops, he's able to produce the fruit multiple times a year.
00:53The short cycle means weekly sales and consistent earnings after costs for inputs, transport and handling are covered.
01:03Let me give you an example.
01:05With coffee or cocoa, it takes four years before you start producing.
01:09With papaya, you can already earn an income after seven to eight months.
01:13So why wait four years for cocoa, rubber or other crops when you can start earning money after just six
01:19months?
01:20That's it.
01:23Most of the fruit stays on the local market, where demand is strong and continuing to rise in both urban
01:31and rural areas.
01:33A smaller share goes to export through organized channels.
01:42There are already consumers on the local market.
01:45The local market demands a lot.
01:47And abroad, I can say that it is in high demand because we work with organizations such as JOLI and
01:53SCB,
01:53which are responsible for exporting tropical products here in Cote d'Ivoire.
02:02Indeed, Ivorian fruits and vegetables, and papaya in particular, could well conquer the world.
02:08As an Ivorian and African entrepreneur, my primary goal is to feed the people closest to me.
02:14So it's to ensure that in the cities of Abidjan, Buake and San Pedro, there is no shortage of any
02:20fruit.
02:21Today, that is what drives us and motivates us every day.
02:26JOLI partners with around 1,000 papaya producers.
02:30They supply the fresh fruit to restaurants, hotels and food businesses across the country.
02:37And with global cocoa prices stagnant and unsold stocks piling up in the country,
02:43papaya stands out as a promising alternative for many farmers in Cote d'Ivoire.
02:49P brcas part of the country, and by the national matching range,
02:50Fr.
02:50p.
02:50Bando
02:50Bando
02:50S
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