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Organic Sapota Profile

Sapota (Achras zapota L.) popularly known as chikoo is an evergreen, growing and flowering almost throughout the year. It is adaptable to a variety of soil and agroclimatic conditions. Sapota flourishes in heavy-rainfall areas of western and southern India. But it grows equally well in the drier region of the Peninsular India. The fruit is a native of Mexico and other tropical countries of South America. Sapota The fruit is a good source of digestible sugar (15-20%) and an appreciable source of protein, fat, fibre and minerals (Ca, P and Fe.) Sapota pulp is used for making sweets and halwas. It is also an ingredient of fruit salads and milk shakes. The milky latex secreted by unripe sapota fruits, known as chuckle forms the base for making chicklet and chewing gum in South-East Mexico, Guatemala and other countries.

Nutritional chart of Sapota /1 cup raw (Approx.)

Sapota Nutritional chartSapota flowers are seen throughout the year. Substantial fruiting starts from the fourth or fifth year and takes around four months to mature. The fruit is round to egg-shape, 2-4 inches in diameter. The skin is brown and scruffy when ripe. The flesh varies from yellow to shades of brown and sometimes reddish-brown, and may be smooth or of a granular texture. The flavor is sweet and pleasant, ranging from a pear flavor to crunchy brown sugar. Fruits can be seedless, but usually have from 3 to 12 hard, black, shiny, flattened seeds about 3/4 inch long in the center of the fruit.

Indian Scenario

India is considered to be the largest producer of sapota in the world. It is mainly cultivated in the coastal areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, west Bengal, Punjab and Haryana. The major varieties are as follows:
Sapota flowers are seen throughout the year. Substantial fruiting starts from the fourth or fifth year and takes around four months to mature. The fruit is round to egg-shape, 2-4 inches in diameter. Sapota The skin is brown and scruffy when ripe. The flesh varies from yellow to shades of brown and sometimes reddish-brown, and may be smooth or of a granular texture. The flavor is sweet and pleasant, ranging from a pear flavor to crunchy brown sugar. Fruits can be seedless, but usually have from 3 to 12 hard, black, shiny, flattened seeds about 3/4 inch long in the center of the fruit.

Harvesting

In general, a fully mature tree of 10 to 15 years of age yields 1000-3000 fruits/tree depending on the variety and management practices. Sapota