In Switzerland, only melons from overseas are currently on the market. "At this time, we have Cantaloupe melons from Honduras and some Galias from Brazil, the sales of which are low at this time of the season," said Michele Lomma from Swiss fruit merchant Rodi Fructus AG.
"We only have these two varieties of melons, but given the low demand, that's almost one too much," notes the trader. The quality of the product is more irregular than that of the European produce: "The 'intrinsic values' of melons are not comparable to what we know from the European season, which is certainly also related to their long time at sea."
Watermelons and melons from Spanish fields are an important pillar of Rodi Fructus AG during the summer months.
The overseas goods are marketed in the calibers 5-6; for larger sizes, there would be no demand. The importer also sees no need for larger calibers in Northern Europe. An upswing in demand for melons, is expected at the end of April with the beginning of the Spanish and later the French season of Charentais-melons.
Another specialty of the Rodi Fructus company are citrus fruits. The sale of these fruits is made much more difficult by the spring weather (12-15°C), but this does not seem to be the only reason for being in the doldrums: "In December and January, the temperatures were lower, so the sales of traditional winter fruit ran but not as we expected. " The citrus fruits are currently sourced from Spain and Italy by Rodi Fructus. In summer it will switch over to South Africa.
In general, Lomma doesn't see a grea demand for overseas fruit: "I think it's also a matter of sustainability, with consumers paying more attention to where their food comes from, and the long transit time can be a factor." The trend towards organic products is also clearly visible. Only recently, a study showed that the Swiss spend more money on organic products than any other Europeans. "However, I do not expect big, erratic changes on the market."
For more information:
Michele Lomma
Rodi Fructus AG
Bäumlimattstrasse 14
4313 Möhlin
Tel. +41 61 855 57 57
E-Mail: info@rodifructus.ch
Web: www.rodifructus.ch