I'd think it would be easier if you go to any grocery store and buy a ripe papaya, wouldn't it?

Vinh, you would think so, however due to GMO (genetically modified) many of the fruits found in the store now contain seeds that can not reproduce - they are being altered that way on purpose. Also, if the papaya has been chilled or refrigerated the seeds won't sprout. Soooo, for this reason I am seeking seeds from someone with a home garden to ensure they can reproduce (this board is for seed exchange) I've exchanged many seeds on here and have been very pleased with the results.

there is no produce with GMO, its not available as raw produce. instead food producers hide it in packaged foods, a lot of ready to go pre package stuff contains GMO foods, just not raw produce, at least not yet.

as far as grocery store fruit there are other things that affect their viability, such as being picked too early, or having wild version as pollinators, but not all places do this. even with foods that have chemicals and such sprayed on them, that doesnt affect the seeds. so the germination is lessened by this, but you can still sprout some stuff from the store, you just get lesser germination cause they fruit wasnt ripened on the tree, or possibly unstable genetics because they were cross polinated with wild version (apples for instance, they often use crabapples for polinators).

but with less conventional fruit usually not, and if you get a ripe papaya at the store pretty good chance you could get a lot of seedlings from it, the papaya and other more rare fruits have not been messed with as much, or not at all.

Only1god

I share your concern about GMO and hope that someone here has papaya seeds. They are so easy to grow; in fact some seeds from a grocery store papaya did germinate for me, but given the cold winter here, they all perished with the frost.

Perhaps a farmers market papaya would give u some good seeds.

Good luck.

Interesting article on GMO's, thought I would share.

Here is a link that might be useful: Genetically Engineered (Papaya named among many)

I do not have any fresh or saved seeds right now, but we have MANY papaya trees with fruit that is almost ready. Once ripe I will be harvesting seeds for our use and can send you some. Reply via email and I will get your contact info and send you some for some swamp weed seeds. I am the main volunteer/grower at our community garden and we need more host plants for the monarchs. Not sure where you are at, I am eastern Palm Beach county FL. But we have tree's in pots too! These are all grown without any chemicals or pesticides. In the picture, you will see some of our shorter papaya's that are producing along the fence line.