"Our area is naturally dry, with about 600 mm of rain a year, but over the past 3 years it has rained very little. The wells, which are the main source of water for the plantations in the area, are at very low levels. In Barauna, where the situation is more serious, some wells are already completely dry," explains José Carvalho, of the company Brazil MELON.
The firm has 1,000 hectares located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, where they grow Yellow melon, Piel de Sapo, Galia and Cantaloupe, as well as watermelons, with and without seeds.
"We are located in a lower gradient, with better water availability compared to other farms. We have not suffered so much from lack of water, but the increase in salinity is a constant concern."
"This season, our production volumes will increase by about 10% taking all varieties into account. Nationwide, we expect a small reduction in the planted acreage as a result of the drought, and consequently also in the production, reversing the positive trend of recent years," states Carvalho.
Melon Brazil ships about 700 containers, 60% of its production, to Europe, and according to information provided by the company, there is high demand for its products, which are reaching good prices, and there is a preference for fruit of smaller calibres.
"While we already have very good varieties, we are always trying to improve. Regarding the Yellow, it would be ideal to develop a smaller variety, but with a higher yield per plant to be able to meet the demand from Europe," explains Carvalho.
The Russian ban on imports of horticultural products has created a business opportunity for melon growers in Brazil and the country recently sent a trade mission in order to strengthen ties with Russian importers.
"We plan to export to Russia, but we need to start a programme months in advance, so this year we will only ship a couple of containers. The direct programme with Russia will only start next year," affirms Carvalho.
The remaining 40% of the production is sold in the domestic market, where the Yellow variety is the most popular, with higher demand for larger calibres.
"The Brazilian market is demanding higher quality fruit and we have different types of packaging to meet that need. The consumer is willing to pay a higher price for a product of guaranteed quality. We aim to use our marketing tools to establish a closer relationship with our consumers," concludes José Carvalho.
For more information:
Jose Carvalho
Brazil MELON
T:+55 84 3321 1863+55 84 3321 1863
M:+55 84 9418 2094+55 84 9418 2094/9645 9600
carvalho@brazilmelon.com
www.brazilmelon.com