W45: Weekly Melon and Watermelon Update

Brazil

Watermelon Prices Fall Again, but Remain at High Levels (Nov 8)

In the first week of November (from October 31 to November 4), the price of watermelon retreated, after rising in the last week of the previous month, according to information from Hortifruti/Cepea. The drop was mainly due to the change in temperature in the South and Southeast. Despite the devaluation, prices remain above production costs, since the supply of the fruit is well controlled in Uruana (GO), and the markets in Teixeira de Freitas (BA) and Marília/Oscar Bressane (SP) have not yet started harvest effectively. In Uruana (GO), the big watermelon had an average of R$ 1.30/kg, a devaluation of 1.5% compared to last week. In Marília/Oscar Bressane (SP) and Teixeira de Freitas (BA), the price was R$ 1.29/kg and R$ 0.99/kg respectively. At Ceagesp, there was a small increase of 0.6% in the same comparison, with an average of R$ 2.87/kg. It is worth remembering that, at the warehouse, the entry of watermelons was limited by the stoppages, which restricted the quality of the fruits that arrived at the end of the week.

The Recent Rains Resulted in Melon Losses (Nov 11)

This week (7 to 11/11), after four consecutive devaluations, the price of yellow melon rose again in the São Francisco Valley (BA/PE). The bulk variety ended the period with an average price of R$ 0.85/kg, an increase of 15% compared to the previous week. This occurred due to the impact of the strong storms that occurred in the region since last week, generated by the formation of the cyclone on the coast of Bahia, which caused producers to lose part of their production. As for the market, it warmed up this week, since, with warmer weather and the beginning of the month, the population sought more fruit. For the next week, it is expected that the local supply of yellow melon will continue to feel the impact of recent rains.

Turkey

Kırkağaç’s Summer Fruit Melons Will Decorate the Winter Tables (Nov 12)

Proprietary melons that are harvested in the last weeks of August and September in Kırkağaç district of Manisa are kept in dark warehouses by the farmers so that they last until the winter months. Kırkağaç district of Manisa, which is the first place that comes to mind when melon is mentioned, takes the lead in melon production with a land of 7 thousand decares. While approximately 50 percent of the melons with a harvest of 18 thousand tons this year are sold immediately after harvest, some farmers keep their melons in their dark warehouses so that they last until the winter months. Known as a summer fruit, the melon adorns the tables by meeting with consumers in the winter months.

Georgia

Watermelon Results of August 2022 (Nov 10)

The main reason for the growth in exports of watermelons from Georgia in August was a sharp increase in demand for this product in the Ukrainian market. Nevertheless, the Georgian market itself was still focused on imports from Turkey. So, if only a little more than 600 tons of watermelons were exported from Georgia, then 1.6 thousand tons of these melons were imported into the country during the same month. At the same time, Turkey remained the main exporter of watermelons to the Georgian market, while Georgian importers purchased only 74 tons of this product from Azerbaijan. Although imports in August this year were nowhere near the results of May and June, as well as August 2019, they still turned out to be unusually high. As for the export of watermelons, the share of Ukraine in sales from Georgia was 68%, with the rest going to the markets of Armenia or Romania. It should be noted that in August last year, the export of watermelons from Georgia amounted to only 14 tons, which is, 43 times lower than the current one! In turn, the growth in demand for watermelons in Ukraine was associated with Russian aggression and the occupation of the main melon regions of the country (Kherson and part of the Zaporozhye region).