"EU: "Supply of Piel de Sapos has doubled in five years"

Melons are available in various varieties and sizes. "At the moment it's really the time for Piel de Sapos, yellow melons and water melons," says Xavier Brutyn,Brutyn NV, Belgium. There are good volumes of the Piel de Sapos coming from La Mancha. He has seen a large increase in this variety in the past few years. "I think the supply has doubled in the last five years. At first this variety was only bought by foreigners, but the Belgians are starting to like them. It's starting to become more well known. During their holiday to Spain they also came into contact more with this variety."

"Things are very different for Galia. This variety seems to be less popular. The sales aren't extreme, but it's clear there is no growth in them. A disadvantage is that there are more long-life Galias coming and this isn't benefiting the taste. At the moment it's not really Galia period anyway."

With seed and seedless

Watermelons are available with seeds and without. "The seedless melons are from Spain, and those with seeds are from Greece. But seedless doesn't mean better taste. In the last week there have been less volumes from Greece. The prices have gone up. At the beginning of last week the price was 45 cents and now the Greek melons are at 60 cents. The demand is there and the supply is low, a logical consequence. For the Spanish seedless small sizes, 90 cents is paid."

Xavier expects to receive more volumes of yellow and Piel de Sapos. The yellows will arrive for two more weeks and the Piel de Sapos will run into September as well. "The prices of Piel de Sapos are good. They are around the 55/60 cents. I expect the good market to last a little longer. The sun makes the sales of many fruits and vegetables just that little bit easier."

For more information:
Brutyn NV
Xavier Brutyn
Longchamplaan 38 bus 2
8400 Oostende, België
www.brutyn.be