Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the French company Soldive, specialised in the growing and marketing of Charentais melons. Maxime Fuzeau, director of Soldive says: "We supply these delicious melons, produced by our own growers in France, Spain, Morocco and Senegal, for ten months a year. We have eight production sites, five of which are in France. The total acreage amounts to 2,500 hectares, mostly in France, where it owns 1,500 hectares. "Besides Charentais melons, Soldive also produces other melon varieties, salads, herbs, pineapples and potatoes.
Most sales in France
The Soldive Group cultivates and sells 32,000 tonnes of melons per year. Part of the production is organic. Soldive is the largest independent producer in France and Europe. Maxime points out that Charentais melon sales are particularly strong in France. "This melon is very well known in France and very popular here. Approximately 10% is exported to countries such as Switzerland, Italy and Germany."
Maxime Fuzeau during Medfel 2014
According to the director, the season has been really good in Senegal, "where the campaign has already finished. The production is now in full swing in Morocco and Spain. In the coming weeks, we will be supplying very large volumes of Charentais from Spain. The Cantaloupe campaign in Senegal takes place in November / December and again in March / April. Morocco's produce is available in April and May and Spain's in May and June. Lastly, the French production takes place from June to October in two different regions (Languedoc and Poitou-Charentes)."
For more information:
Maxime FuzeauS.A.S. Soldive
B.P. 72 - Brie
79102 Thouars cedex - France
T: +33(0)549 674161
F: +33(0)549 674356
www.soldive-producteur.fr