"French melon production (forecasts as of September 1st, 2025) is estimated at 324,800 tons for the 2025 season, which is 13,100 tons more than in 2024 (+4%) and above the five-year average (+11%). After a difficult month in July in terms of product valuation, prices recovered slightly in August, but at a level 4% lower than in 2024 and 9% lower than the 2020-2024 average for the same month," according to Agreste.
Favorable weather conditions for 2025 production
"The French melon area for the 2025 season is expected to increase by 2% from last year, to 13,540 hectares. This would be 4% higher than the 2020-2024 average. The increase in cultivated area only concerns the south-eastern basin (+7% from last year and +17% compared to the five-year average). French melon production is estimated at 324,800 tons in 2025. It is expected to increase in all the regions surveyed, with the notable exception of Poitou-Charentes, due to a significant decline in acreage (-9%). French production is expected to be 4% higher than last year, and 11% higher than the five-year average. The hot spells at the beginning of the summer led to heavy watering by melon growers, resulting in the production of large-sized fruit and contributing to an increase in volumes for the 2025 season.
The few problems with fruit set at the start of the season, which affected yields, eventually improved in July. In addition, the heatwave at the beginning of July encouraged the overall ripening of the fruit and led to massive production during that month. As a result, volumes were lower in August.
The imbalance between supply and demand weighed on prices at the end of July
"Melon supply was particularly strong in July. At the start of the month, consumption was driven by the weather, and the market was dynamic. The cooler weather in the second half of the month slowed down consumption against a backdrop of a supply that was still plentiful. Over July as a whole, prices were 8% below those of the 2024 season and 13% below the 2020-2024 average for the same month. In August, the weather conditions once again favored consumption and prices recovered, supported by a gradual reduction in supply.
Between January and July 2025, and compared with the same period in the previous marketing year, melon exports (21,500 tons), including significant re-export volumes, were up by 6%, while imports (104,700 tons) were up by 7%. The foreign trade deficit in volume terms (83,200 tons) increased by 7% from last year during the period under review."
Source: agreste.agriculture.gouv.f
