The peak of the watermelon harvest is expected to begin in the first week of July, five to ten days earlier than last year, as long as the weather conditions remain favourable," reported the Hungarian Fruit and Vegetable Organization and Product Board (FruitVeB) this week.
This year, Hungarian producers have planted watermelons on 5,000-5,200 hectares, which means that the acreage has fallen by 8-10% compared to 2016. According to current surveys, the expected yield is 200-210 thousand tonnes, which is about 10 percent less than last year's 230,000 tonnes.
Most producers have made significant technological and varietal changes in recent years, so producers hope that they will be able to supply consumers with top quality fruit. The average watermelon consumption in Hungary is 15-16 kilos per year.
Hungarian customers mostly look for medium-sized melons weighting 4-6 kilograms, as these can be easily transported and cooled, while sales of large 8-10 kilo watermelons has declined in recent years. Moreover, the market share of seedless melons continues to grow, not only in export sales, but also domestically.
Exports usually start between 5 and 10 July and continue until the end of August. Between 60 and 80 thousand tonnes are exported annually, with the main markets being Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and the Baltic states.
Source: index.hu
