Melon exports in Brazil rose 1% in the Q3 but Europe slows down afterwards

Brazilian melon exports for the 2020/21 harvest are practically the same as in the previous campaign. According to data released by the Secretariat of Foreign Trade (Secex), from August to November, an increase of only 1% in volume has been accounted, totaling 112.4 thousand tons, as well as in dollar revenue, totaling US $ 73.3 million (FOB).

However, unlike the 19/20 campaign, when shipments were gaining strength throughout the season, there was a greater intensity of shipments in the first months of this harvest and a settle down thereafter. Exports from now on should be mirrored to long term contracts without many extra shipments, due to the uncertainties generated by the second wave of covid-19 in the main buyer markets, EU.

Also according to Secex, the largest importers of Brazilian melons were: Holland, with 37% of the total volume in the period, United Kingdom, with 27%, Spain, with 22%, and Canada, with 3%. Despite the low participation compared to the others, Canada is a highlight, since there was an increase of 118% in the volume imported from Brazil in comparison with the partial of the past harvest.

Brazilian melon exports are expected to follow a good pace until mid-December, when shipments may start to decline, due to the winter in European countries. This period is also marked by the gradual start of exports by some Central American competitors. Worth mentioning that Brazilian exporters must be aware of the hurdles of recent hurricanes in the harvest of those countries, reflecting directly on their supply.