In W29 in the watermelon landscape, the harvest of Diyarbakir watermelons in Türkiye commenced in the rural Yolköprü District of Ergani. In 2023, the watermelon cultivation area in Diyarbakir reached 3 thousand hectares (ha), resulting in an expected production of more than 150 thousand tons of watermelons.
Watermelon supplies are currently limited in southern Europe due to extreme heat waves named Cerberus and Charon, causing record temperatures across the continent. Supply is expected to normalize until the beginning of August when Castilla-La Mancha, Spain, enters the market. Due to sizing issues, commercial-sized fruits are scarce, leading to significantly higher prices. Spain's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) recently detected a high level of the pesticide methomyl in a shipment of Moroccan watermelons. The sample analysis revealed a ratio of 0.38 +/- 0.19 mg/kg, surpassing the maximum residue limit (MRL) set at 0.015 mg/kg. Furthermore, Hungarian watermelon farmers anticipate a quality harvest this year, with advancements in production technologies and new breed varieties leading to increased efficiency and disease resistance. Despite a reduction in the production area, innovative farming techniques have allowed Hungary to maintain production volume.
Watermelon production in Dagestan, Russia, accounts for 12% of the nation's gourd crop. Watermelon growers are embracing innovative agricultural techniques to increase productivity. Recently, agronomists tested grafting seedlings on a 4 ha area, resulting in a remarkable fourfold increase in yield and enhanced resistance to temperature fluctuations, frost, and diseases like Fusarium wilt. Watermelon prices in Georgia have doubled compared to the same period in 2022 due to low supply and strong demand. In the wholesale markets of Georgia, watermelons stood at USD 0.27/kg (GEL 0.70/kg) in W29, compared to USD /kg (GEL 0.30/kg) during the same time in 2022. The Kakheti region, which typically produces at least 80% of Georgian watermelons, is experiencing reduced deliveries this year, contributing to the scarcity and increased prices in the market.
Due to heavy rains causing significant damage in the Chungcheong region of South Korea, the largest producer of watermelons and melons, there is a high possibility of supply disruptions in the future. The crop area of damage in Chungcheongnam-do was counted at 7.16 thousand ha, impacting about 30% of the nation's total watermelon and melon production. As a result, watermelon shipments in the region have almost stopped, leading to a drastic reduction in market import volumes and a sharp increase in market prices. The market price of watermelon recorded an 82% increase due to the significant damage to watermelon-producing areas. Lastly, in early June of this year, Uzbekistan successfully began exporting watermelons of the new crop, achieving record volumes of about 30 thousand tons in May. The trend of increasing shipments continued in June, resulting in a total export volume of almost 80 thousand tons. However, experts predict a downshift in the growth rate of watermelon exports in July. From May-23 to Jun-23, Uzbekistan exported 79.9 thousand tons of watermelon, a 26% increase compared to the same period in 2022. While July has historically accounted for about 15% of annual shipments, analysts project that in 2023, the total export of watermelon from Uzbekistan by the end of July may reach 90 to 95 thousand tons.
