The off-season melon campaign has gone through some ups and downs, marked by the weather, both at origin and at destination. "At the beginning of the campaign, the good weather at destination gave consumption a boost and accelerated the demand, but ahead of the middle of the campaign, there was a long period of low temperatures which caused demand to drop, while production continued at the same level," says Jordi Martí, Commercial Director of CMR Group.
"Right now, the demand for melons is greater than the supply, mostly due to the on-going rainy season at origin," he added.
CMR works with the most popular melon and watermelon varieties from different origins and is able to supply the fruit year-round. When it comes to melons, they mainly work with the Piel de Sapo, Yellow, Galia, Charentais and Cantaloupe, while the watermelon market is supplied with both traditional and seedless varieties.
The firm has its own plantation in Brazil managed by its subsidiary CMR Brazil. This is mainly used to grow melons and watermelons during the off-season campaign, from October to April. That fruit is marketed under the brands COSARICA (for premium products) and COSARICA STAR. During the 2017 campaign, CMR Group sold a total of 13,900 tonnes of melons and 4,300 tonnes of watermelons.
The production is both GRASP and GLOBAL GAP certified, although the company is working on implementing other certifications. "We have qualified workers in charge of the entire production and sorting process, which allows us to guarantee a stable supply throughout the campaign. We keep all processes, from production to marketing, under control at all times, which is highly appreciated by our customers, who sell the melons both under our brands and their own," says Jordi Martí.
Demand for watermelons boosted by increasingly milder winters
According to the Commercial Director, the watermelon market is strongly influenced by the weather, so "the rise in global temperatures, which is resulting in milder winters, is giving a boost to the demand."
"Also, unlike in the case of melons, with which we are seeing varieties other than the Piel de Sapo losing part of their properties in favour of more commercial criteria, all existing and new watermelon varieties preserve certain unique characteristics. They share a very pleasant flavour and texture."
In any case, in central and northern Europe, due to cultural reasons, the consumption of seedless mini watermelons (or with micro seeds) continues to grow. "Their demand is linked to the existence and proliferation of smaller households."
Demand for Piel de Sapo melons growing outside Europe
"Piel de Sapo melon sales are growing outside Spain, and it is easy to understand why," says Jordi Martí.
"The qualities of Piel de Sapo melons are superior, both in terms of flavour and texture, to those of other varieties, so those who taste them always come back for more, so the trend is to prioritise it over other varieties. To facilitate its full acceptance and regular consumption in Europe, all it needs is to adapt in terms of size to the needs of the smallest European households. The nutritional qualities of this fruit are a great asset to promote its regular consumption," says Martí.
For more information:
Carles Molina
CMR GROUP
Pol. EstruchC/Sis, 1
08820 El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
T: +34 93 262.66.00
[email protected]
cmrgroup.es
