There is currently a good market for Galia, Cantaloupe, and yellow melons from Brazil. "Especially the sale of Galias is going well. We are seeing prices around 8 euro and I think the market is only going to go up. What arrives from Honduras is of inferior quality because of the rain, so for the time being Brazil has exclusive rights to the market", says Jacob Aktalan of MG Fruit in Ridderkerk.
"The Cantaloupe melons are currently appreciated a bit less. There are many big sizes available. However, retail sizes 5/6 are seeing many buyers. The market for yellow melons has been very bad, but then there was a big upswing after which the high price stalled sales. The price of 8.50-9.50 euro is still reasonably good for the yellow melons," the importer notes. "The watermelons are also going for good prices for this time of year with a price per kilo of 80-85 cents."
He expects that the current melon prices will persist at least for the rest of the month. "I don't expect the first Costa Rican melons on the market until February, so this month Brazil still has a monopoly on the melon market. As long as Honduras is not yet able to deliver good quality, I expect that we will end this month positively with Brazilian melons. The big question is how the Costa Rican melon season will develop after the dramatic past season. I can imagine that many smaller growers have pulled out, but I do not have a definitive picture of that yet."
For more information:
Jacob Aktalan
MG Fruit
Selderijweg 90-E
2988 DG Ridderkerk
Tel: +31 (0)180-745474
Mob: +31 (0)612676257
jacob@mgfruit.nl
www.mgfruit.nl