"Europe: "Spanish melon season nothing to complain about"

The melon supply is pretty limited at the moment for nearly all varieties. The Spanish season has ended and according to an importer, the extremely warm weather this summer season has left a shortage of melons of a suitable quality. "We offer Spanish melons until week 36 on a programme basis. After that, Brazilian melons take over. At the moment, the prices are at a good level." Despite the rather considerable amount of melons that were supplied by Spain at the beginning of the season, the importer says that the season has been nothing to complain about. "It's a shame that Northern Europe has had bad weather, but it was not as crazy as last year when it was noticeable if it didn't rain for one day. The large volumes of Spanish melons and moderate sale prices happen every year. That is not unique."

According to the trader, Galia-melons are still the bulk of trade in the UK and the Netherlands. "There is very little change there. The Cantaloupe has gained a lot of ground, just as the Piel de Sapo which is the favourite in Spain. The yellow melon is perfect for the processing sector, just like cantaloupe and watermelon. In general, melons are a summer product and are very connected to weather. This is especially true for watermelons. The French Charentais melons have a very good flavour, but are not as good as something like the Spanish Cantaloupe when it comes to shelf life."