Spain: Almeria's melon growers make 40 million Euro in revenue

Almeria's melon growers made a total of 39.998 million Euro in revenue, with an average price of 0.39 Euro per kilo, according to data provided by Andalusia's Council of Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment.

Production volumes for all melon varieties reached 102.53 million kilos; 15% less than the average of the 2009/2010 and 2011/2012 campaigns.

The yield was of 3.19 kilos per square metre; 11% less than the average of the three previous campaigns, while the acreage devoted to this crop totalled 3,211 hectares; 4% less than the average of the aforementioned campaigns.

The production cost for melons, with data from the 2011/2012 campaign, was of 1.30 Euro per square metre, including seeds, fertilisers, phytosanitary treatments and auxiliary insects, water, energy, labour and other services, as well as maintenance costs for greenhouses, plastics, facilities, machinery and structure, and financial and general costs.

The melon volumes exported by the province of Almeria in the 2012/2013 campaign reached 77.91 million kilos; 4% more than in the previous campaign, while the value of those exports amounted to 56.87 million Euro, which is 15% more than in the previous campaign.

By varieties, Galia melons represented 26% of Almeria's total melon exports; Cantaloupes, 16%; yellow melons, another 16%; Piel de Sapo, 38% and other minor varieties represented 4% of the total.

Source: hortoinfo