Spain: Good prospects for melon and watermelon campaigns

The agricultural organization ASAJA Murcia qualified their perspectives for the melon and watermelon campaign, starting mid June in the fields of Murcia, as "quite promising". A high quality is expected in both productions.

As explained by the secretary general of ASAJA Murcia, Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca, "quality is expected to be good, as there were good conditions during cultivation and there was no episodes of adverse weather, so producers expect a rewarding campaign".

Gálvez Caravaca even pointed out that "the first fruits will have a very good quotation, so we expect farmers from Murcia to recover from the bad fruit campaign and have their profits balanced".

To boost exports

The holder at ASAJA Murcia insisted that is "fundamental" to boost exports and the internationalization of the melon and watermelon. But for that to happen, in his opinion, "the sector must open new export markets and we should boost the opening of new markets in the Middle East and Asia".

In the Murcia region there are 5,657 hectares dedicated to melon and 54% of it are in Torre Pacheco.

The average yearly production of melon in the Murcia region is 220,000 tons, representing more than 20% of the national production, only surpassed by Castilla-La Mancha and Andalucía. It represents 10% of the European production and almost 1% of the world production.

45% of the Spanish melon which is exported comes from the Murcia region and its main markets are France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Source: Murcia