Area under production of early melons in the Castille-La Mancha area of Spain is 10-15 per cent up this season on last, but sector bosses are warning already that late varieties could bunch up and upset the marketing campaign.
The melon section of the union of co-ops in the region Ucaman, has calculated that some 12,000 ha are under production.
“Early varieties with large yields are benefiting from good climatic conditions,” explained Apolonio Moreno, spokesman for the melon section of the union. “This could lead to undesirable commercial consequences and destabilise the market, with production potentially reaching 400,000 tonnes. If it does, this would be one of the largest crops in the history of the region.” He said that his co-op members have maintained production in line with recent averages, but the introduction of the single payments scheme under the reformed Common Agricultural Policy has complicated the situation. “The increase in melon production area indicates that growers of beet and corn, because of the agricultural policy, are dedicating their land to the production of fruit and vegetables, in this case melons, with the result of a destabilising increase in production and offer, and therefore an oversupply of the markets,” said Moreno.
Meanwhile, informal estimates of production in the Valencia region are for a crop reduced on last season, while Murcia is expected to produce volumes in line with 2005.
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