The first Brazilian melons are currently arriving on the European market. Although the Brazilian production has been plagued by drought quite a bit in recent years, this isn’t the case this year. “We have left the drought problems behind. There was plenty of rain, so the basins are full and the fields are looking good,” says Leon van den Hombergh, commercial manager of Frankort&Koning. As a result, plenty of melons are ready for harvesting, quality and shelf life is good, and there’s not much pressure from diseases.
“The melon market is still in an interim phase right now. A number of retailers are entering their final weeks with Italian, Spanish and French melons. From La Mancha, yellow melons and watermelons are still be sold, and France still has Charentais in stock. Retailers will first switch with Galias for qualitative reasons,” Leon expects. “Prices are now around 8 euro for yellow melons, 7 euro for Cantaloupe and 70 cent for watermelons. But the European melons first have to leave the market, and then we’ll be able to see how things are.”
“The programmes with Brazilian melons start in week 39 or 40. That’s when the proper volumes start arriving on the market, not much is now arriving yet. Hopefully, we’ll have the weather on our side. In any case, there will be plenty of fresh overseas melons to stock shops. We won’t experience a shortage any time soon,” Leon concludes.
For more information:
Leon van den Hombergh
Frankort & Koning
Venrayseweg 126
5928 RH Venlo, the Netherlands
Tel: +31 (077) 389 72 72
Fax: +31 (077) 382 61 34
www.frankort.nl
Leon van den Hombergh
Frankort & Koning
Venrayseweg 126
5928 RH Venlo, the Netherlands
Tel: +31 (077) 389 72 72
Fax: +31 (077) 382 61 34
www.frankort.nl