Spanish growers are having a disastrous watermelon campaign this year in the UK and across Europe. Prices have hit rock bottom in wholesale markets around the UK as traders struggle to even give product away. Meanwhile producers in Spain complain that the farm-gate prices they are receiving are some 66 per cent below the cost of production at just €0.04-€0.05 a kilo.

"The campaign is an absolute disaster," said Cristóbal Aguado of Valencia producers’ association Ava-Asaja.

Production in Spain has risen this year as plantings have increased particularly in the non-traditional growing areas of Castille and La Mancha. The situation has been made worse by unseasonably cool, wet weather in destination markets such as the UK, which has dampened demand considerably compared to last season.

"It is also important to draw attention to the consignments that have been arriving from third countries such as Turkey and new member states such as Bulgaria where production costs are ridiculously low," said Aguado.

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