Murcian melon supply assured, producers say

Supplies of melons and watermelons will last until well after the summer according to Proexport and Fecoam. The Murcian producer and exporter associations issued a press release on Monday to reassure customers and consumers that there will be no shortage of product this summer.

“The good climatic conditions of this season and the fact that, on these dates, we can move production to the high areas of the Region of Murcia and Castilla-La Mancha assures us that this 2024 we will have Spanish melon and watermelon production until the end of summer and even into the first weeks of autumn,” said José Cánovas, president of Proexport’s melon and watermelon sector.

The topography of the Region of Murcia gives growers a longer production window than in other parts of Spain. “In the countryside of Cartagena and Águilas we can start cultivating at the end of spring, before harvesting moves to slightly higher altitude areas where production conditions are optimal,” Cánovas said.

He noted that the quality of this year’s melon and watermelon crop is “exceptional”, with optimal flavour, sweetness and size. The only downside so far this season has been the lower temperatures in the rest of Europe, which is keep demand in check.

However, Cánovas said is confident that consumption will increase as we head into August.

Fecoam’s Felipe López said that in addition to guaranteeing a good supply until the end of September to cover European demand, “the transition of production from the Region of Murcia to Castilla La Mancha is developing in a very balanced way, with hardly any overlaps and with excellent quality for both melons and watermelons”.

“The long-awaited arrival of good weather in the destination countries seems to be confirmed and since last week we have noticed more active demand. We expect good sales for the rest of the summer campaign, which would balance the slow start to the campaign due to low yields, which has hit profitability,” he noted.

The companies associated with Proexport have marketed 80,384 tonnes of melons since the start of the 2024 campaign, an increase of 22 per cent on last year. In watermelon, 90,457 tonnes have been marketed so far, 24 per cent more than in the same period last year.