Production of both cantaloupe and honeydew melons began last week out of Sonora, Mexico. "Both items have been doing well," says Raquel Espinoza of Produce House, adding that both varieties are seeing good quality this season with high Brix and a particular focus on the condition of the fruit "This crop is about four to six weeks long so it's going to be a fast one."
Sonora has seen some atypical growing conditions this season with some hot spurts as well as cooler periods which can affect the growth of melons slightly.
Pricing on melons
It's also helping maintain a decent market for these two items. "On pricing, it's in the $16 range for cantaloupes and the $14 range for honeydews," says Espinoza. "Prices aren't fluctuating as much because we're not seeing those bumps in volume. We don't have a bunch of peaks and valleys right now so it seems very steady."
Meanwhile, Espinoza says there's good demand across the country for both types of melons, particularly given domestic production of these varieties hasn't started yet. "It's a good opportunity for us to be here at this time. We're supplying the pipeline that doesn't have any high supply normally," she says, adding that there is a slight shortage of the honeydew variety right now.
For more information:
Raquel Espinoza
Produce House LLC
Tel.: +1 (520) 281-8943
https://produce.house/