The watermelon campaign kicked off on April 15th. The Spanish season is in full swing for the Anecoop cooperative, which expects to market 130,000 tons this year, including 25,000 tons in France. "We reached 110,000 tons last year, and we have high hopes of increasing our production by 15% this year. For the moment, we are all set to meet our target," explains Andreu Mir, sales director of Anecoop France.
"The 2025 campaign looks promising"
Last year, the results of the campaign were very positive for the company, with an increase in sales volumes, but this year promises even better results. "The previous campaign was good, but we could have done better. We were affected by the rain, which mainly impacted the Murcia region, resulting in poor crop set and lower yields. This year, we had very heavy rain between weeks 9 and 12, which slightly disrupted the start of production, as we were in the planting phase in some areas and setting in others. We therefore had a production peak in May and should have seen a shortfall at the end of May/beginning of June. However, the temperatures in Europe were not very high, which limited consumption. On the other hand, the weather in Spain was very fine and warm, which was good for crops, so we did not experience any production shortfall. Field crops are also arriving quickly, so we are going to see a significant increase in volumes over the coming weeks. With the fine weather on the way, we are ready to meet the demand, so the 2025 campaign looks very promising."
A broad production calendar thanks to extensive territorial coverage
With a rising target of 130,000 tons of watermelons produced and marketed, the company reaffirms its position as an emblematic player on the Spanish watermelon market. "We were the first to launch seedless watermelons on the European market 25 years ago," explains Camille Broussoux, trade marketing & communications manager of Anecoop France. "Since then, we have never stopped researching new varieties to improve the quality of our watermelons. Another of our strengths is the fact that we are a cooperative of producers, spread across the whole of Spain. This allows us to have a wide production calendar, from April to September, with consistent quality."
Today, Anecoop's watermelons come from the production areas of Valencia, Murcia, Almeria, Seville, and La Mancha. "A few years ago, Valencia, which used to be a prime watermelon-growing area, abandoned this crop in favor of other, more profitable crops, such as lettuce and persimmons. Citrus and persimmon production has fallen on hard times for several years now, so we are working to ensure that watermelon continues to grow in the Valencia area. We have also welcomed a new partner in the Castilla-la-Mancha region, which has enabled us to boost our production in the late part of the calendar, in August and September. We are in the process of diversifying our production regions by strengthening our territorial coverage in Spain."
Orange watermelon: A novelty that is attracting interest
For the first time this year, Anecoop is marketing a seedless watermelon variety with orange flesh, which seems to combine a number of advantages. "It tastes like a cross between a watermelon and a melon. This variety won the innovation prize at Fruit Attraction, and Anecoop is launching it on the French market. During tastings, feedback from both internal teams and customers was very satisfactory. There is a clear interest in this watermelon, which has an unusual color but also a high taste potential. Last year, we used our harvest of 250 tons for tastings, mainly at the Rungis market. This year, we are targeting all distribution channels. We are still producing a confidential 1,500-2,000 tons, but we have the capacity to rapidly increase our acreage if there is a market for it."
Growing consumption
In addition to the seedless watermelons in its Bouquet range, a genuine "mark of trust and superior quality", Anecoop has decided to plant Zagora watermelons for the second time this year. "This is a Moroccan watermelon that is much sought after by wholesale markets. It is a seeded watermelon, which means that we can diversify our range to meet the different needs of the market." These needs grow year after year, since "35% of French households buy watermelons (representing 4.4 kg/year/household). It is a fruit with a good image. It is fresher and younger than melons, which are mainly eaten by the older generation. Watermelons have also become much more popular with the seedless variety, which meets an increasingly identified need for convenience."
For more information:
Anecoop France
Phone: +33 (0) 4 68 68 38 38
[email protected]
www.anecoop.com