Sweden’s largest outdoor melon grower, Ingmar Nilsson, is seeing lower production volumes this 2023 summer due to very dry conditions. Although the second generation melon grower based in Frillestad outside of Helsingborg, Skåne, Sweden, is banking on warmer summers, this year he has had to contend with a drier spring and summer and less rain.
“I am putting out irrigation, it is already very very dry up here. This season I only have 6,000 melon plants. 50% of it is Cantaloupe, the rest is galia, piel de sapo, honeydew and watermelons,” says Nilsson.
While he uses the warming climate to his advantage to grow sweet tasting melons and watermelons, the weather in Sweden remains unpredictable and somewhat challenging. “During summer we have more daylight than Spain. Our usual summer temperature ranges between 18-30 degrees C in daytime, and 12-20 degrees night time which gives the melons quite decent temperatures to grow with plenty of light to grow rapidly,” says Nilsson.
Approximate wholesale prices for melons in Sweden on Wednesday, 28 June, 2023, were as follows: Galia 15sek/kg ($1.39/kg) small sizes, Honeydew 15sek/kg ($1.39/kg) small sizes, Cantaloupe 15sek/kg small sizes ($1.39/kg), mini watermelon 11-12 sek/kg ($1.11/kg).
Spain as the main supplier of melons to Sweden has had a drought, which means lower supplies to the Nordic country that rely on these imports causing higher prices. This will also benefit Nilsson who supplies the local market. The price picture for watermelon and other melons already looks higher in Sweden. During this season Nilsson will take the lower volumes as long as he can continue growing melons. He hopes to again increase production volumes with a bit more rain during next season.
For more information:
Ingmar Nilsson
Pukemossens gaard
Tel: + 46 70 234 05 19
Email: ingmar.n@telia.com