There are numerous seasonal fruits available in India; among these the Sapota enjoys immense popularity in the coastal areas. Small, soft and sweet, the Sapota has an unusual flavor and a grainy, melting pulp of deep brown color. The fruit is usually available in plenty when other common fruits go out of the market. Hence the Sapota is a favorite seasonal fruit, which is also relished by children.

The Sapota Achras zapota is an evergreen tree indigenous to South America and West Indies. The wild tree reportedly grew in China too. However, this fruit came to be cultivated in India only a few centuries ago. The Sapota tree thrives best in moist, tropical seaside regions. In India it is cultivated in large tracts of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal.

The Sapota, which is also known as Chiku or Sapodilla is a seasonal fruit available during March-April or August-September. The Chiku fruit is a round or oval berry with a soft, thin, brown skin. The flesh is black seeds embedded in it can be easily separated from the pulp.

Edible Sapota is prized when it has firm, good pulp of rich flavor and few seeds. There are popular commercial varieties. The type called Pala Sapota, which is common in Andhra Pradesh is considered best in this aspect though fruits are small. There are some large-sized varieties from Maharashtra, which are also very popular. Some of the other commercially important types are Dwarapudi, Vavivalsa, Bharani and Kalipatti.

Sapota trees can easily be cultivated in home gardens or orchards. They are ornamental as well as good fruit. In U. P. Bihar, some heavy bearing varieties are popular because of their commercial importance in the confectionary industry. This is because the milky latex or resin, which is secreted from unripe fruit, known as Chikle, forms the base for making chiklets and chewing gum. Chikle has a good export market potential also. The Chiku is a good source of energy for almost 14% of its pulp is sugar. The fruit also has some amounts of iron, carotene and vitamin C.


Sapota pulp is extensively used for making sweets and halwa. It is also an ingredient of fruit salads and milk shakes. A bitter principle found in unripe fruits, called 'Sapotonin' has pharmaceutical uses. Certainly, Sapota is an easily available low-cost fruit with a delicious honey-like flavor, which is relished by one and all.