The sale of Senegalese watermelons and Piel de Sapo melons kicked off a few weeks ago in Spain and other European countries, coinciding with the end of the Brazilian melon season. The watermelon supply has fallen below what the market needs at this time of year due to the impact of climate change. Consequently, there are forecasts of a difficult season in Spain this summer.
"We have been selling watermelons and mini watermelons from Senegal for around three weeks now, and also Piel de Sapo melons, whose supply has overlapped with that of Brazilian melons. We are now finishing up the Brazilian melon campaign because the rainy season has already started in that country," says Jordi Valle, owner of Grupo Algitama Autor.
In the case of the Piel de Sapo, the supply and demand are in greater balance due to the overlap between the Senegalese and Brazilian productions, says Jordi, who claims that the watermelon supply has been lower than what the market might need.
"So far, consumption hasn't been great due to the influence of the rains and low temperatures, but when the weather improves, there could be shortages, as demand will be higher than supply. In recent years, production in the main growing areas has become more erratic, and the impact of climate change is undeniable," he says.
Due to adverse weather conditions in many parts of Spain, there's great uncertainty ahead of the coming season, which will start with the earliest harvests in Almeria. In the summer months, most of the crops are grown in areas of Murcia, Seville, and Castile-La Mancha.
"The storms in Seville took a toll on the plantations, and harvests will probably start later than expected. It remains difficult to predict how the crops will develop, but I expect a challenging season. In Almeria, there will be a 9% growth, while La Mancha expects the loss of around 300 hectares. In other regions, the acreage remains stable after years with a growing trend. I think we need to be cautious and make sure we have a solid business plan," says Jordi Valle.
Grupo Algitama Autor is still strongly committed to its Mini Foodie watermelons and smaller conventional watermelon formats. "We believe that watermelons weighing between 3 and 4.5 kilos have better market opportunities. In addition to being more affordable, they can be consumed more easily and with less waste. We are working with around 10 Spanish supermarket chains, and we are increasingly positioning ourselves in markets in the United Kingdom and Germany," says Jordi Valle.
For more information:
Jordi Valle
Grupo Algitama Autor
Tel.: +34 643 138 870
[email protected]
grupoalgitamaautor.com
