Honeydew and Galia have reigned supreme in the UK melon market for a number of years and for many consumers, their juicy flesh encapsulates all that is good about summer. But a new kid on the block is attempting to challenge their dominance: in recent years, seedless watermelons have been attracting their fair share of attention.
Watermelons have never been as popular in the UK as they are on the continent but breeders and producers have been hard at work reducing the size of the stripey skinned fruit and believe that they have come up trumps.
Solinda, the new extra-sweet “personal size” seedless watermelon, which is the result of collaboration between Anecoop in Spain, Peviani in Italy and Sygenta Seeds, is enjoying a positive response and recent surveys have shown that British consumers are taking to the variety.
The watermelons weigh around two kilos and will be marketed as a fruit that is easy to carry and store, as well as delicious to eat. The very thin skin and few seeds also mean less waste and better value for money.
During the summer months, Spain is a major melon supplier to the UK. Redbridge Worldfresh sources its Spanish melons from Almería during the mid-April to mid-June period. The company then switches to the Cartagena area of Murcia in the south-east and imports melons up to the end of August. It additionally sources watermelons from Valencia.
“The three main types of melon we handle are Honeydew, Galia and seeded and seedless watermelon,” says Worldfresh’s Richard Jorro.
“In terms of varieties, research continues each year with the various seed nurseries but actual commercial usage takes a lot longer to develop.”
Spanish growers haven’t enjoyed the best of times in recent years as poor weather has affected production and inevitably, returns. And according to recent reports, this season’s Spanish melon and watermelon deal got off to a poor start.
Valencia association Ava-Asaja reports that production of both lines could be down by some 30-40 per cent on last season as drought and previous poor seasons make growers cautious. The association estimates that production in its region will fall 30 per cent on watermelon and 40 per cent on melons.
Juan Salvador Torres of Ava-Asaja notes that growers are tired of suffering loss after loss and many have given up planting fields. In addition, growers using water from some sources in the region have been advised not to plant any more by authorities who cannot guarantee supply for the whole production cycle.
Elsewhere, Almerían growers and exporters reported an approximate 100,000-200,000 tonne reduction in total melon production from the area this season. Galia and watermelon are the main varieties affected, although conditions improved in June when producers experienced stronger demand and prices, with Honeydew and watermelon finding favour.
Jorro is not overly concerned about the reports. He says: “We have not been affected by overall lower production volumes seen this season as we have a strong grower basis dedicated to our programmed requirements. Almería is the main, if not the only, source of melons from the end of April and we have not had to source elsewhere.”
Some other importers believe that the situation may become more challenging as the season progresses. According to one leading UK importer, supplies will be disrupted. The importer, who declined to be named, says: “During mid to late-July, we will see a reduction in availability on all melons from Spain but especially so on yellow Honeydew. There may not be an actual shortage but there certainly will not be the big flush of fruit that we normally see at this time of the season, which allows the UK supermarkets to take full advantage of oversupply to push prices down, often to below-production cost levels.”
He believes that after last season’s extremely low prices, growers have decided to limit availability to the UK and have instead focused their attention on the emerging central European markets. These markets, according to the importer, not only take a wider range of sizes but consumers there do not expect perfect-looking fruit. “This not only allows the grower to sell volume but because the specifications there are not so restrictive as demanded by UK supermarkets, the growers can achieve the ‘fair’ prices that they badly need to re-invest in their operations, and, equally important, in better-tasting varieties because they know that the way to increase consumption is in eating quality, not only aesthetic quality,” he says.
While growers have their work cut out on the supply side, Jorro believes that scorching weather is the best way to boost UK consumption. Combining sunshine with educating the consumer can prove a potent mix.
“The main challenge for Spanish melons in the UK is to continue increasing consumer awareness of the taste of various varieties available such as Piel de Sapo, the most widely consumed melon in Spain, other than the traditional varieties like yellow Honeydew which has been associated with the UK for years,” Jorro explains.
He further believes variations on the traditional Galia can make their mark, as can sweeter, seedless, mini-size, watermelons.
“There are always opportunities for new lines which are innovative and offer customers a point of difference - the increase in recent years on organically produced lines shows this,” Jorro says.
As Spain winds down, Israel starts cranking up its volumes. Agrexco is predicting a good season for Galia melons and is on course to produce around 7,000t, according to Amos Orr, general manager of Agrexco UK. Some 35 per cent of the crop is destined for the UK market.
Agrexco is the largest exporter of Israeli melons and the season is set to kick off in the first week of September.
Orr says: “Israeli Galia is a superior quality product as our melons have a better aroma and higher sugar levels. We also benefit from faster transit times. Spain also produces very good Galia but they are not in the market during the Israeli season.”
As well as Galia, Agrexco also produces significant volumes of Charentais, known as A2. However, Orr notes that it is too early to talk about prospects for this variety as volumes will not be harvested until November. However, he does not anticipate large yields this season.
When exporting Charentais, Orr says the main challenge for shippers is reaching the UK market in time for the Christmas holidays.
In addition to its main autumn season, Agrexco further supplies the UK with melons during the March to early-June period. This year firm increased its sendings to the UK to 1,300t, up from 1,000t in 2005.
“Market conditions were okay and prices were reasonable, although lower than last year,” Orr says. He notes that the season ended earlier than anticipated as Spain started shipping in April. As Spanish volumes increased, prices began dropping very quickly.
“Our wholesale business fell but we kept supplying to the top-end retailers until June,” Orr says.
Meanwhile, Honduran growers are assessing their options. For a number of years, exporters have been keen to grow their business in the UK, but with the market’s stringent demands, some observers feel that Honduras is shifting its emphasis to continental Europe.
“Spain has continued to increase imports of Honduran melons as well as France,” says Mauro Suazo of Suazo Agro Services Inc and current president of the Association of Melon Exporters of Honduras (Aproexmeh). “Holland is the port of entry into the EU and Dutch importers then supply fruit to their clients.”
According to the Honduran Agro-Exporters Federation (FPX), melon exports are becoming an important foreign exchange earner for the country.
The 2005/06 season was a mixed bag for Honduran grower-exporters. According to Suazo, a number of growers enjoyed a good season improving melon quality and also productivity per area, although some had to battle decreases in their fields particularly in the earlier part of the deal.
“Other long-time grower/exporters such as Suazo Agroindustrial and La Florida decided to work on seedless watermelons that were exported to the US and Europe,” Suazo reveals.
Climatic anomalies also took their toll. Suazo notes that some crops were affected by strong winds, followed by high humidity, resulting in productivity losses.
“The same happened to the agricultural co-operatives and to other independent watermelon growers that found themselves with poor pollen productivity that resulted in yields and even lower quality than expected,” he adds.
Suazo notes that transportation is a challenge for suppliers looking to enter Europe and it will be a major topic discussed at this year’s XIV Latin American Melon & Watermelon Growers & Exporters Congress. The annual event will be held in Costa Rica during August.
“The melon congress (as it is known in the region) is a yearly event that began 14 years ago in Honduras and each year it normally moves to a different Central and South American country,” Suazo explains.
US SPECIALIST TAKES ON UK
Timco Worldwide handles a range of melons, including seeded, seedless, and mini watermelon, cantaloupe, and yellow Honeydew. The California-based firm is concentrating its efforts on gaining customers in the UK and EU markets and believes it has the logistics to succeed.
“We have a well-maintained relationship with the major shipping businesses, both via land and sea, and have expanded our growing areas to include locations, such as southern Mexico and Central America, thereby ensuring a year-round supply of quality melons which the international market can enjoy,” says Andrea McNees, special projects co-ordinator for Timco.
Consumers are becoming increasingly attracted to mini melons and according to Timco, the fruit offers all the advantages of larger watermelons but is more convenient size-wise.
In order to encourage greater consumption, Timco believes it is important to stress the nutritional benefits of melons. Juicy watermelons are rich in lycopene, a cancer-fighting antioxidant, and combining the fruit with different foods can create an interesting blend of flavours.
“Watermelon can be eaten with such foods as basil, mozzarella, and poultry to make a tasty and filling meal,” says McNees. “Advertising the versatility of watermelons to our consumers would surely reinvigorate their love of the fruit.”
As a new distributor in the UK market, Timco acknowledges that it faces a battle of “name recognition.” However, the firm is confident that this challenge can be overcome. “In the US, we are considered one of the foremost suppliers of watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews with the capability to ship quality produce anywhere within the US and Canada border,” McNees claims. “We intend to extend and expand this reputation in the UK. What sets us apart from the competition is our state-of-the-art technology, excellent grower connections in the regions, and superior staff.”
The firm claims to have invented a patented packing device, which weighs each melon to ensure consistency of pack. In addition, its rigorous quality assurance programme sends updates on brix levels, average pressure and rind size within a matter of minutes.
McNees says: “We employ only the best growers from the richest soils to guarantee melon crops which are consistently delicious. We strive to generate tasty and plentiful produce, but we also believe in harbouring a work environment, which is beneficial to both our office employees and our growers.”
The company believes that its anticipation of industry needs has allowed it to remain one step ahead of the competition, and it intends to only increase this distance in the coming years.
