Redbridge sources much of its papaya from Brazil, and has enjoyed good sales so far this year.

The company's Alan Crockford told freshinfo: 'We have received our first sea shipment of papaya from Brazil [last week]. On arrival the quality was very good and comparable to air-freight. Sales have started well and we wait to see how the fruit will mature over the next few days.

'If this trial is successful then we hope that regular arrivals by sea will enable us to offer reduced prices to customers and this in turn will hopefully increase consumption. The main supply country for papaya is Brazil. In recent years we have received trial shipments from Ghana but the quality has been so variable that we have not done any significant volumes.' Crockford went on to say: 'Unfortunately the majority of the public still buy with their eyes and they expect a mango to be red in colour. Some of the best tasting and least fibrous mangoes are naturally green when ripe but due to their colour some consumers assume they are not going to taste good and do not buy them.

'Consumers need educating on this colour issue and since this education can really only work at the point of sale I believe the supermarkets and their suppliers should take joint responsibility for this.'

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