As reported by the Central Market of Buenos Aires, "for three seasons, San Juan has been the leading marketer of Media Agua melons in Argentina. From the 14-15 campaign, shipments to the MCBA started recovering with Social Capital and Inter-institutional work."
The project to set up a Protected Geographical Indication, called "Melón de Media Agua San Juan", was launched in October 2010. The process started at the request of the municipality of Sarmiento and the Ministry of Production of San Juan and counted with the collaboration of producers, their rural extension agency, the Agrotechnical school, and the Prosap, among other institutions.
Today there is a departmental Melon Board which controls this quality seal, and the melon has again been leading sales in the Central Market of Buenos Aires since the 2015-16 campaign.
According to a report prepared by the Chair of Agrobusiness of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences of the UCCuyo, the recovery started in the 14-15 campaign, when the volume marketed grew by 39.4% compared to the 13-14 campaign. Then, in the 15-16 season, shipments of San Juan melons increased by 29%, which entailed an accumulated growth of 79.5% in just two campaigns. It should be noted that in the most recent campaign, the acreage devoted to the crop in this southern department has reached over 800 hectares.
The total recovery of shipments, which started in the 13-14 campaign, has been very positive. In the 16-17 season, when 84% of the volume had already been recovered, San Juan shipped 3,859 tonnes of melons, bringing it to the top of the ranking nationwide, followed closely by Santiago del Estero.
In the 13-14 campaign, the province accounted for 15.3% of the total volume sold at the Central Market of Buenos Aires, which amounted to 13,700 tonnes then. In the latest campaign (15-16), San Juan accounted for a 28.5% share of the total volume, which stood at 13,500 tonnes.
More information:
Lic. Adrían Alonso
E: Alonsomix@yahoo.com.ar