The flavor of a pawpaw fruit can intensify as it over-ripens, as with banana, resulting in pulp that is excellent for use in cooking. The skin should not be eaten. With refrigeration, fruit can be held up to 3 weeks while maintaining good eating quality. Identifying alternative high-value crops would allow small farmers to diversify to these alternative crops and generate new sources of farm income. This plant is well adapted to the climate of the southeastern United States where tobacco is now commonly grown.
Pawpaw fruit have a unique tropical flavor and powerful aroma.
There is commercial potential for use of pawpaw fruit in juices, ice creams, yogurts, and baby food. Pawpaw trees are also attractive to the homeowner as an ornamental planting in edible landscapes. Harvesting the leaves and twigs for the extraction of these compounds may also represent a lucrative opportunity for small farmers. There is already a potentially profitable market for those interested in establishing pawpaw orchards. Most fruit for sale are currently collected from wild stands in the forest.