Agroinform.hu: the domestic melon season may start weeks earlier this year

By: STA Date: 2024. 05. 31. 11:00

Due to the warm spring period, it is expected that the domestic watermelon season can start already at the beginning of July this year. This year, the producers planted melons in a slightly larger area than last year, on about 3,000 hectares, and if the weather is favorable, they can count on purchase prices similar to last year’s as well this year, stated Agroinform.hu in its forecast published on Friday.

(Photo: Pixabay)

According to Sándor Nagypéter, the vice-president of Fruitveb and the president of the Southern Földi Gardeners’ Cooperative, the Spanish and Greek import melons currently available on the domestic market may be replaced by the domestic supply at the beginning of July instead of the usual mid-July. This is not expected to cause an oversupply, since the import melons also ripened earlier than usual this year, he added.

The analysis highlighted: after the low point in 2022, the melon production area started to increase again

In Békés County, for example, the area increased by 5 percent compared to last year, but the largest increase of 35-40 percent took place in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County. The national crop area is around 3,000 hectares again, which is still 15 percent below the 2021 level.

Buyers increasingly prefer seedless or seedless varieties

In addition, it is now much more difficult to sell traditional watermelons weighing 8-10 kilograms, customers are looking for 3-5 kilogram watermelons that are easy to handle and can be easily stored in the refrigerator. Sándor Nagypéter added in the announcement: there is no need to expect a significant increase in the price of melons this year. Although labor costs have risen again this year, the price of fertilizer, for example, has decreased a lot since last year. Thus, prices may be close to last year’s level. In a sufficiently warm summer period, the expected slightly larger offer than last year can be easily sold, especially in light of the fact that, according to experience, melons, like beer, sell better during major sporting events. And this summer, among other things, holds a soccer EC and an Olympics, he added.

MTI