Brazilian melons are looking to build on the success of the 2002 season. Last year a premature end to the French, Spanish and Moroccan season following poor weather in the Mediterranean area strengthened Brazil's position. According to Darren Matschull, procurement manager at JO Sims, there is a similar pattern emerging for the forthcoming season. “The hot weather across Europe this summer has brought an early end to the Spanish season and we're looking to get some Brazilian produce into the UK as soon as possible,” he says.
Shaun Hockey, category manager at Capespan, explains that although the company is only a relative newcomer to the melon market, early signs are encouraging. “This is the second year we have been involved in Brazilian melons and the market conditions are shaping up nicely,” he says. “The hot weather in Spain has seen an early end to their season of yellow melons.”
Fesa UK Ltd procurement executive Steven Manson is also looking forward to the beginning of the new season. He says: “The early indications are encouraging: our first shipment of Galia and Cantaloupe will be leaving this week and on speaking to our suppliers, overall quality is good.”
Indeed reports from Brazil to date indicate that melon quality is excellent. According to Hockey, the initial test results this side of the water point to a good crop. “The first boat has come into Sheerness with yellow melons and we're pleased,” he says. “We're expecting to import 500,000 cartons of melons this year, this would be double our first year tally, and looking to the future we aim to double this figure again next season.”
Matschull explains that the weather has been a little cooler which has had a marginal effect on fruit size. “Due to cooler conditions the fruit has been slightly smaller to begin with, but fruit size will get back to normal in the coming weeks,” he says.
Manson agrees that initial fruit sizes are quite small. “The sizes will improve in coming weeks and with the forecasts we are receiving we are confident for the season.”
And so far key supermarket customers are pleased. Tesco senior buying manager, David Williams says: “Volumes are anticipated at similar levels to last season and our supplier base is well positioned to continue offering customers excellent value and consistent eating quality. To enable us to continue to increase sales, we must remain focused on delivering the customer an excellent eating experience to ensure repeat purchase.”
The UK market is an important customer to the Brazilians. Matschull says: “The UK takes about 50 per cent of all produce with the rest going to Rotterdam to be distributed around Europe.”
Yellow honeydew melons are well established in the UK and production has levelled out, but it has been noted that production is rising among other varieties. Matschull says: “We are seeing an increase in overall production for varieties which are relatively new to the UK. The market for Cantaloupe and Galia is a growing area.”
Hockey agrees that there is room for Galia to grow in the market. “We work closely with Nolem which is continually busy with variety development,” he says. “There is a big opportunity for both Galia and Cantaloupe which are available through to the end of February.”
There are also signs of growth among niche varieties. Matschull believes that Piel de Sapo is one such melon that is seeing rising sales. While Hockey feels that Charentais has potential for the future. “Charentais is traditionally grown in the south of France and is a very fragrant melon,” he says. “Brazilian growers have been working on growing this variety for some time now and it has reached a quality whereby it is good enough to export.”
One advantage in Brazil's favour is there it faces very little competition. But due to the early end of the Spanish season, Matschull explains that Brazilian growers are trying to make the most of the opportunity. “The Brazilian season usually overlaps slightly with the Spanish season, but due to its early end, attempts are being made to get the Brazilian crop available a week to two weeks earlier,” he says.
Hockey agrees that there is little competition but stresses it is important to maintain demand. “Once the northern hemisphere season is completed Brazil is almost on its own until January,” he says. “There is some competition from Israel but we have to ensure that we continue supplying high quality produce.”
Improved cold-storage facilities are vital in improving the standards of produce reaching the UK. Matschull explains that Cantaloupe needs to be stored at low temperatures, between 1°C and 2°C. “A lot of time, effort and money has gone into developing facilities. Cold stores can now be found at the port and many have been built at farms,” he says. “This has allowed an increasing volume of Cantaloupe to enter the UK market.”
Hockey agrees that cold-storage facilities have played a big role. “Once the produce has left the field it does not escape the cold-chain until it reaches the retailers,” he says. “In the past this did not occur and this makes a big difference to fruit quality.”
Per Mortensen, senior trade manager at Lauritzen Cool, says the group has just started shipping this year's Brazilian melons from Natal, in north-east Brazil to Sheerness and the cold-storage facilities which were built in 2000 are proving their worth. “The facilities have definitely helped the development of niche varieties.”
Mortensen explains that Lauritzen Cool's first shipment of melons will soon arrive at Sheerness. “Transportation to the UK takes nine days. Our first shipment had 2,000 pallets of Brazilian produce and we are expecting shipments to increase as the season progresses,” he says. “The work with Brazil to Europe is viewed as a growing market. We are focused on continuing to improve storage facilities. We are seeing steady rises and the UK is an important customer for Brazilian melons.”
With export volumes rising from Brazil, Hockey is pleased that Sheerness is now the chosen port for all melon shipments. “Last year the last 10 boats of the season went to Sheerness instead of Dover,” he says. “This year it will all be coming to Sheerness, which is good news as it is much better equipped to handle the capacity of volume and offers an excellent service to importers and exporters alike.”
Paul Glock, marketing manager at the Medway Ports Authority, is looking forward to working with all those involved in the Brazilian melon industry. “We welcome the use of Sheerness port by the Brazilian exporters and we are looking forward to delivering a quality service,” he says. “We are now looking forward to working together with growers, shippers and receivers and will endeavour to understand their needs and improve their service.”
In transportation the packaging of the fruit is also playing a prominent role. Hockey explains: “All our fruit is transferred in modified atmosphere (MA) packaging. The temperature regime and handling of the fruit is crucial to fruit quality.”
Stepac L.A. Ltd started working with Brazilian melon growers four years ago. The company's Xtend line of modified atmosphere and modified humidity (MH) packaging is integral to the success of Brazilian melon exports to Europe according to Xtend post harvest specialist and agronomist, Mark Gimenez. The company works closely with growers from several days prior to harvest through to arrivals in the destination market.
The packaging is used to export Galia, Cantaloupe, Charentais and Piel de Sapo. “The Xtend packaging and system has many benefits that enable the delivery of high quality melons to Europe, both in taste and appearance, says, Gimenez. “Growers can harvest melons at high sugar levels, which translates into sweeter melons for consumption.”
Galia melons packaged with Xtend are harvested with sugar levels of 12 to 13 per cent, which is three to four per cent higher than those packaged without MA/MH packaging explains Gimenez. “The stems of the melons dry well, remaining green and fresh. While Cantaloupe packaged in Xtend are yellow with 10-20 per cent green skin and have sugar levels of around 11 per cent, without such packaging, the sugar level is around nine per cent to avoid over-ripening and rot and the fruit is very green in colour.” Gimenez says the problem with the green skin is that Cantaloupe is sensitive to chilling injuries and when stored at 3-4°C can develop sink spots.
Gimenez maintains that shipping Brazilian melons in Xtend provides retailers with many advantages. “The melons can be sold slowly, they can be held for an additional two weeks after arrival in top quality condition. This is a huge advantage to retailers which normally must sell the melons immediately as a result of their very ripe condition,” he says. “The melons arrive in Europe after shipment with good quality, ready to eat, and in extremely good external condition, looking like they did at the time of harvest.”
