In the French department of Tarn-et-Garonne, melon producers are faced with a very difficult year because of the weather. The production is down by 30% this year.
“Once again, it is an atypical year for the melon,” explains Joël Boyer, manager of Boyer SA, which markets nearly 25,000 tons a year. “We have had unusual rainfalls for four months. We even had November weather on the 13th and 14th of July. At the moment, mornings are quite fresh and the fields are covered with dew. It is a real headache to follow the crops.”
This year, the calibers are small and many melons are not harvested. “I have been working with limited labor since the beginning of August. The other day, I left 80% of a melon field behind that was damaged by humidity,” explains a producer located near Lauzerte. “The fruits clearly need more sun, warmth and stable weather for several weeks to allow for the melons to grow.”
The melons from southwestern France also have to deal with the competition from the southeast. On the markets, prices are down, between 2.80€ and 3€ [3.30 USD and 3.5 USD] per piece. According to the consumer association Familles Rurales, melon prices are 21% lower than last year.
“We must not despair. We hope that we will have an Indian summer this year. We could make the melon season last until the end of September if consumers are present,” explains Joël Boyer.
Source: ladepeche.fr
