The low temperatures in Europe and the United States have cooled down the export prices of melon, watermelon and pineapple for the first five months of the year, when compared to the same period of 2013.
According to data from the National Comptroller, the export value of pineapple, melon and watermelon between January and May 2014 declined by 20.4%, 25.1% and 6.5%, respectively, when compared to the same period of the previous year.
The export volume of melons and watermelons increased by 10% during the last agricultural season, but prices fell in April and May, said Francisco Antunez, a member of the Union of Agricultural Exporters of Non-Traditional Products from Panama (Gantrap).
Between February and March, the kilogram of watermelon was traded at 1.20 Balboas, but it then fell to 65 cents at the end of the season. Meanwhile, a box of melon gradually decreased from 12.00 Balboas to 7.00 Balboas, said Gantrap's representative.
The cold weather also affected the consumption of pineapple, said Francis Vergara, agricultural exporter from the region of La Chorrera. In Turkey, Rotterdam and on the west coast of the United States the price of a box of 12 kg of pineapples dropped from 12.50 to 9.00 Balboas.
Source: prensa.com