José Ángel Serrano, president of the Melon and Watermelon Inter-branch Association of Castile-La Mancha, described this season as "catastrophic" for prices, calling it the most difficult in the past 25 years.
"We thought things would improve, but after the last auction, it's clear that we're at about 90% or 95% of the season and prices remain well below costs," he stated.
"This is the first time in history that green melon has not been harvested in the field," he stressed.
This situation, he stated, is due to several factors that have come together this season, such as the unusually hot weather in June, which caused the season to start earlier in La Mancha, and the rains in other growing regions, which delayed their harvests. This overlap resulted in an oversupply in the market during a crucial two-week period.
In addition, weak European consumption in July and August led to a buildup of products. At the same time, competitor countries like Turkey and some Eastern European nations increased their presence in the EU markets.
According to the Association's estimates, approximately 35% of melons and 45% of watermelons in Castile-La Mancha were left unharvested. These losses per hectare range from 3,500 to 5,000 euros, creating significant uncertainty about the future sustainability of these crops.
Serrano highlights that the quality of the fruit was "stupendous," due to a dry summer that promoted crop development. However, the large surplus makes it impossible to give exact figures for total production.
To address the issue, the president of the inter-branch organization believes it is crucial to "raise awareness and plan this crop more carefully to prevent surpluses."
Source: lanzadigital.com