The melon and watermelon campaign, with tons left unharvested, results in over 100 million in losses in C-LM

The 2025 melon and watermelon campaign in Castilla-La Mancha has resulted in losses exceeding 100 million euros, according to the balance sheet of the Agricultural, Horticultural, and Meat Market of the region, following the latest session of the Pricing Board held in Manzanares (Ciudad Real). Farmers are closing a year marked by prices at origin well below production costs, thousands of tons of fruit left uncollected, and a direct threat to the viability of family farms, the Agricultural, Horticultural, and Meat Market of Castilla-La Mancha indicated this Thursday in a statement. It has also pointed out that the production cost of a kilo of watermelon is around 0.34 euros and that of a melon is 0.40 euros, but market quotations have remained far below these figures, forcing producers to work at a loss. Adding to this situation is the fact that around 35 percent of the watermelon and 25 percent of the melon could have been left uncollected in the fields. The market has pointed out ...