Negotiations have commenced for initiating a papaya cultivation project in Tairāwhiti, focusing on both the fruit and leaf's properties. Raymond Young, the CEO of Fuller Young International, has engaged with a local nursery to start Gisborne's inaugural commercial Carica papaya crop trial. The health benefits of papaya leaves and fruit are well-documented, with scientific research highlighting their bioactive compounds that possess anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. Fuller Young International, a Queenstown-based entity led by Young, will provide the "Wakatengu" cultivar seeds for the trial at Manutuke by Tai Kupenga Ltd. According to Trevor Mills, the local project manager, this trial represents a significant opportunity for establishing a commercial crop aimed at producing medical, nutraceutical, and high-value food products.
