The Costa Rican melon season kicked off this year, unlike in previous years, in the usual calendar week, thanks to favorable and stable weather. "Both the weather and the yield per hectare have so far been stable and of excellent quality," said Rolf Weber of Global Producers.
© Global Producers BV
"Several mini watermelon varieties, such as Mielheard/Lynx and Supermini's 1969, are becoming increasingly popular with consumers and are therefore also gaining ground in cultivation. Pafru started with 40 hectares of 'real' mini watermelons and expects to expand to 230 hectares within four years, with a projected yield of around 3,800,000 fruits. Demand continues to rise steadily."
© Global Producers BV
"The only problem this growing season is the quality of the Extasy watermelon variety, which has resulted in a yield loss of about 30-40% per hectare, leading to limited availability due to seed-related issues."
© Global Producers BV
© Global Producers BV"We expect the season to end as strongly as it started, as we anticipate excellent weather conditions in the coming months, similar to 2018, thanks to the Humboldt flow effect, which could lead to a significant increase in melon and watermelon consumption. There is a smaller cultivation area of yellow honey melons, Galia melons, Cantaloupes, and true mini watermelons in Costa Rica and Central America. As a result, shortages may occur, potentially leading to higher prices," Rolf added. "The price development of watermelons will depend on the weather, but also on the quality of the product from Panama."
For more information:
Rolf Weber
Global Producers
Venrayseweg 136 B
5928 RH Venlo
+31 77 465 81 00
[email protected]
www.global-producers.nl
