The Brazilian melon season is just starting with handlers receiving first fruit over the past two weeks. All the main varieties are coming into the UK - yellow Honeydew, watermelon, Galia and Canteloupe. Planted and production volumes from the key production area in north-eastern Brazil are forecast to be broadly in line with last year, but a number of factors are likely to affect export volumes.
"Volumes of Piel de Sapo are broadly similar to last year, but programmes into Spain are likely to be bigger this year," reported one importer. "That means that there will be slightly less for the UK. Sending Brazilian Piel de Sapo to Spain is a relatively new development, but the increase will have a knock on effect."
Weather conditions over the growing period have been fine for the fruit, but also fine for pests. "They have a bit of a problem this year with leaf miner and white fly," said one packer for the supermarkets. "The pests got into the area and the problem is that if temperatures never drop below 20°C or so, then it does not get cold enough to kill them off."
The problem has been compounded by some inputs being delisted. "The effects are that volumes are being reduced as is quality in some case as the pests attack the plants," said the packer. Damage to leaves during the growing process has a knock-on effect on sugar levels in fruit as it matures, and combating pests and grading and testing for quality is also putting up costs for affected producers.
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