Papaya is fastest-growing fruit, reports Tesco

Papaya has unexpectedly become the fastest-growing fruit at Tesco as demand for exotic fruit soars.

According to the supermarket, demand for the orange-coloured fruit, which is mainly grown in tropical climates in South America, has rocketed by nearly 160 per cent in the last year.

Not only is papaya being increasingly eaten on its own, but Tesco claims it has also become very popular as an ingredient used to add excitement to healthy fish, chicken and salad dishes.

Papaya is a rich source of vitamin C, as well as being important for normal bones, gums, teeth and skin, and helps with immune and nervous system function.

Kiwis, mangos, passion fruit and persimmon are also helping drive record demand for exotic fruit across the board.

Tesco notes that in the past year tropical fruit has become the fastest-growing sector of the UK fruit market, with demand leaping by nearly 30 per cent in a market now worth £460 million a year.

Aside from papaya, the fastest-growing tropical fruit in 2024 included kiwis (up by nearly 90 per cent), mangos (up nearly 80 per cent), passion fruit (up 50 per cent), persimmon (up 45 per cent), dates (up 35 per cent) and coconut (up 15 per cent).

Tesco exotic fruit technologist Maksim Ivanov said: “Not so long ago pineapples, coconuts, passionfruit, pomegranate and nectarines were still considered exotic to your average shopper.

“But now, as those fruits have become more mainstream buys, shoppers are turning to more unusual varieties with which to excite their taste buds and even impress their friends at dinner parties.

“A key factor driving UK sales of tropical fruit is the fall in the price of travel and the increase in Caribbean and Far Eastern countries such as Thailand as popular holiday destinations. Many people try exotic fruit out there and then are interested in buying them back home.”