Greenhouse transplants of melons and watermelons continue in a staggered manner. However, the next campaign will be characterized by a general drop in cultivated areas both in Italy and abroad.
Gavina mini-watermelons
Marco Lotta, sales manager in one of the leading fresh produce businesses in Sardinia - O.P Agricola Campidanese - reported that "over the past year, the higher food prices changed how consumers spent their money, and not just in Italy. Therefore, for the next campaign, we decided to reduce cultivated crops by 12% when it comes to watermelons and by 20% for melons, especially of the Piel de Sapo variety."
Marco Lotta
The Sardinian organization grows around 300 hectares of melons and watermelons. "Melon plants started to be planted in late January. Fruits should be available already in late April. As for open fields, we will start in early March with staggered transplants to have a commercial calendar that reached well into October."
"It will be an interesting campaign characterized by limited supplies, also because foreign countries such as Spain are reducing their crops of melons and watermelons as well. It will be difficult to forecast average prices higher than in the past campaign, as quotations were already high during this one. Actually we are hoping for the commercial trend not to fluctuate too much without significant variations in orders and prices. If the summer is long and hot as it was in 2022, consumption will increase this year and the produce will lack, meaning it will be more expensive."
"We are still making plans with the various Italian big retail chains, while abroad we have relations with the Netherlands and Germany. However, next season L'Orto di Eleonora melons and watermelons will reach the Baltic countries."
For further information:
Agricola Campidanese
Via Doria, 5
09098 Terralba (OR)
(+39) 0783 022959
info@agricolacampidanese.it
lortodieleonora.com