Introduction The papaya is the plant species Carica papaya, one of the 21 accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae. It was first domesticated in Meso-america, within modern-day southern Mexico and Central America. In 2020, India produced 43% of the world supply of papayas.Native to tropical America, papaya originates from southern Mexico and Central America.Papaya is also considered native to southern Florida, introduced by predecessors of the Calusa no later than 300 CE.Spaniards introduced papaya to the Old World in the 16th century.Papaya cultivation is now nearly pantropical, spanning Hawaii, central Africa, India, and Australia.Phytochemicals in Papaya