Agreste reports that “The lack of sun, low temperatures and heavy rain in May have slowed down the development of melon plants and limited plantation”. The weather conditions in May and June are expected to limit monthly harvest until July, when production should regain levels recorded last year.
Discouraged by a series of seasons generating little income, small producers have abandoned melon production. With 13,070 hectares, “National acreage has decreased by 1% for open air and greenhouse farming. French acreage has decreased by 186 hectares over a year and by 980 hectares compared to the 2011-2015 average. Greenhouse crops remain the minority and represent 5.3% of planted acreage.”
Aquitaine represents 20% of the South West production basin, and open air acreage has decreased by 9%. Just the Pays de la Loire has seen an increase at the start of the season (2%). The result is that production reaches 239,820 tons, a 6% decrease compared to 2015 and 9% below the 5 year average. “This decrease is particularly noted in the Centre-West and South-West, or the Poitou-Charentes and Aquitaine, where a 17% decrease in production is reported”.