According to Béla Mártonffy of the National Chamber of Agriculture, a very positive melon season is expected in Hungary this year. Although melons are grown on 3,000 hectares, an area that is 15% smaller than last year, yields have stabilized thanks to technology upgrades and irrigation, he said. Growers expect to harvest 130,000-140,000 tons of watermelon and 12,000-15,000 tons of muskmelon, he added.
Demand for Hungarian melons has increased in the Czech, German, Polish, and Baltic markets, Mártonffy said. Hungarian exporters could recover lost markets as higher transportation costs mean it is less worthwhile to transport Italian, Spanish and Greek melons for long distances. Mártonffy also noted that melon production has declined by 20% in these countries and is missing in Ukraine due to the war.
Source: bbj.hu