Honduran melon exporters managed to supply their UK customers with requested programmes this season, in spite of difficulties with seafreight.
Keny Giancarlo Molina, commercial representative for Europe and the UK for shipper Agrolibano, told freshinfo: “Price-wise, compared to last season the market was not exceptional, but due to the mix of products we managed to compensate difficult weeks in the market.
“This season we grew exports, from 694 containers during 2006-07 to 958 containers this season - a 38 per cent increase. Next year, we also expect to increase shipments, since we will be exporting Yellow Honeydews, a new line we will commercially supply in 2008-09.”
Agrolibano has been exporting melons to the UK market for 15 years, including Cantaloupes, Galias and White Honeydews, from January to the end of May.
“The UK market values the quality of the product and this is a great opportunity for us as suppliers and growers, because all investments done to improve quality are compensated by the customers,” said Molina. “The way to open up further opportunities in the UK market is through constant improvements in quality.”
But growers face changes to the regulations on the use of protective products, which is reducing the number of options they have to protect their crops. “Nevertheless, we are very well ahead and we have invested and worked hard to develop sustainable agriculture practices with biological control within others,” said Molina.
Agropecuaria Montelibano is one of the four company members of Grupo Agrolibano, which has been producing and exporting melons for more than 30 years.
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