Mexico: Melon production down 50% due to water shortage

More than two weeks after the melon harvest started in the municipality of San Pedro some producers have recorded a 40 to 50 percent decrease in yields. As a result, they expect it will be a difficult season, as they won't profit as expected.

According to producers, the delay in the watering cycle caused by the poor distribution of liquid in the irrigation modules, negatively affected the growth of their plants.

Additionally, only three people are currently buying the melons produced in San Pedro because most buyers are still moving the fruit produced in Matamoros. The price of melon averages 3 pesos per kilo, but producers feel like it were lower because they have to cover production costs with a lower production. "We would make some profit if we sold our product at 5 pesos per kilo," said Jose Luis Vazquez, a producer from the ejido San Miguel. Vasquez said he produced melons on 1.5 hectares, which would normally yield a little more than one ton per day, but that this year he was only produce about 600 kilos of melons a day. Under the best conditions, producers can harvest up to 40 tons of melons per hectare. Yesterday, Vasquez was unable to sell his production because the marketers didn't receive his fruit, as they were only loading 3 trucks.

Source: elsiglodetorreon.com.mx