DEVELOPING SOLO VARIETY OF PAPAYA WITH SUPERIOR POSTHARVEST QUALITY AND RESISTANCE TO PAPAYA RINGSPOT VIRUS

We intend to generate profits by commercializing fruit crops technology through hybrid conversion, developing pamphlets or manuals for technology users and adopters, and sponsoring seminars and/or workshops for the users and would-be users of the technology. In addition, we expect that our customers will keep coming back to buy our product because it is a hybrid. The seeds from the produce will not inherit the same vigor traits as to its hybrid parent, so new seedlings are needed for replanting to take advantage of the benefits.
The major markets for Enhanced Solo Papaya Seedling are the growers, exporters, and processors of papaya.Enhanced Solo Papaya Seedling is one great option for the growers, exporters and processors to take advantage of its features, PRSV resistant and with delayed ripening trait

To introduce our product, we intend to publish articles and have interviews with agricultural writers regarding our Enhanced Solo Papaya Seedling. The write-ups will then be published in gricultural magazines. In addition, we intend to endorse our product by linking it to Agricultural shows such television programs that inspires people in having a livelihood of their own, as part of our marketing efforts.

Word-of-mouth advertising is also a powerful medium that will be employed by the company. We aim to seek referrals from our family, friends, and affiliate on organizations.We intend to sell directly our product to growers and owners of nurseries and farms that will serve as our first customers. We intend to develop contacts and relationships to papaya growers and exporters.

The company does not see any competitor in the market that can out compete the novelty provided by our product. There is no other papaya variety developed that has the combination of two traits, Papaya Ringspot resistance and with delayed ripening trait, except the Enhanced Solo Papaya.

We seek to finance our start-up costs by presenting our business to potential investors, venture capitalists and angels. This will be added to the prize we had received from winning the 2005 PESO (Philippine Start-ups Open) Challenge.

The Enhanced Solo Papaya has delayed ripening trait that is a good advantage for shipments in distant places particularly in the world market, since the Solo papaya is the dominant variety being exported. In addition, it is resistant to PRSV that would address the problem in postharvest losses. Moreover, it has the full attributes of a papaya that would benefit the end-users.

To assure the safety of products of biotechnology, regulation starts at the experimental stage, continues at field testing and then before commercialization. The National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCPB) is the one responsible for regulation activities. It is established to enable the country to benefit from modern technology while minimizing and preventing harmful effects to human health and to environment. This started the regulation of modern biotechnology, its research and development and products in the country.

The transgenic papaya with delayed ripening trait has the NCPB permit for contained facility or screen house testing.

For field testing, we will need permit from the Department of Agriculture c/o Bureau of Plant Industry and a clearance from the NCPB to prove that we have complied with all requirements in contained facility testing.

For commercialization, we will again submit application to the Department of Agriculture c/o Bureau of Plant Industry. This is to show the safety of our Solo Papaya in terms of food and feed and safety to the environment. When we get the approval from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry, the seedlings of the Solo Papaya can be sold commercially and can be planted without getting permit from the government. (This will be for the Philippines first. We will do the same for the other target countries according to the their specifications and regulations)