Adverse spring weather conditions in the Spanish regions of Seville-Malaga and Murcia-Cartagena have taken their toll on the upcoming melon campaign.
Information unveiled at last week’s Europêch’ conference in Perpignan revealed that strong winds in Spain on March 7-8 meant some 40-50 hectares of production had to be replanted, while heavy rainfall in the first half of April has pushed back harvesting. Some 1,700ha of melons are under cultivation in the two regions, largely consisting of the yellow Charentais variety, although green Charentais production is also on the up.
A further 650ha of production is underway in the region of Almeria, where green Charentais melon plantings are down this season, due to increased competition from Morocco. However, later-season plantings, which, climate-permitting, will be ready for harvest on May 20, are expected to make up some of the shortfall.
Moroccan melon production, meanwhile, is enjoying a normal calendar year, with supplies peaking next week and due to dry up by the end of May. Planting conditions were good, although a cold March caused initial fruit sizes to be smaller than usual.
France, meanwhile, is expecting to harvest 291,00 tonnes of melons this summer, slightly below the 293,061 tonnes of 2006. Planted area remains stable.
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