In 2015, Italian watermelon exports reached 171,000 tons, 1% more than the previous year. The 19% increase in average prices (€0.37/kg) with respect to 2014 represents the peak of the past few years. This in turn led to an increase in value, which reached a level similar to 2012 (+20% with respect to 2014).
The main outlet for the Italian produce is once again Germany, which absorbs 40% of the total. It is followed by Poland with 15% and France with 9%. The Czech Republic continues its downward trend with 6% while Austria went from 3 to 5%.
The main destination is the European market (92% of the total), though in previous years it used to absorb 94-95% of the total. 8% of the total volumes was absorbed by Extra-EU28 European countries, and by Switzerland in particular. Other quantities were sent to Tunisia. The Italian fruit is shipped abroad mainly between June and August.
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In 2015, watermelon imports reached 47,000 tons, the largest quantity of the past few years (except for 2010), with a 29% increase with respect to the previous year.
The value reached €20 million (+24% than 2014) with average prices 3% lower than the previous year.
Incoming quantities come mainly from the EU (92% - up from the last six campaigns) and most of the fruit arrives in June.
60% of the incoming volume comes from Greece, which continues to be the first supplier. Spain follows with 18% of the total, while produce from France went down from 9 to 6%. Fruit from the Netherlands grew by 1% reaching 4%. Limited quantities come from other European countries.
Outside of Europe, Italy imported 7% of the total quantities from Africa and mainly from Tunisia. 1% of the total comes from America, and from Panama in particular.
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Cultivated areas (open fields and greenhouses) in 2015 were little more than 2014 (+1%). In general, we could say that they remained constant in the past three years at 11,500 hectares except only in 2010/2011, when they reached over 12,200 hectares.
Source: CSO-Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli for FreshPlaza