The arrival of April marks the start of the watermelon and melon campaign in Almeria and Granada; a campaign that appears to be late, but which has been planned by Alhóndiga La Union to ensure that its growers get the best prices.
Last year, the company sold 57,000 tonnes of watermelons and 11,000 tonnes of melon, becoming one of the largest marketers of this product. This campaign it plans to increase that volume and cover the entire production cycle.
The firm sells all watermelon varieties (black, white, with seeds, seedless, yellow, etc.) but it reports that market trends favour seedless watermelons weighing between 3 and 6 kilos.
José Manrique "Zahorín", a watermelon buyer from La Unión, tells us that "the campaign has started late, but we have planned it to make sure that growers sell their entire production, which is what matters most to me."
As far as the quality and taste are concerned, the prospects remain really good. The experience of previous years shows that the watermelons and melons grown in Almeria and Granada meet all quality and food safety standards. "At La Unión, our Technical Department is at the service of the producers; they can count on us for any questions and we will be happy to help them and guide them during the entire growing cycle."
Source: Agricultura 2000
