The sunshine has been showing itself regularly over the past two weeks, boosting sales of melons and watermelons, as observed by Gino van Lin of Frankort&Koning in Venlo. "We are currently in the middle of the Panamanian watermelon season. We're receiving good volumes, and these watermelons are entering a favorable market. Costa Rica is slightly later, and we are reaping the benefits of that. In addition, during the Central American season, we have a weekly supply of watermelons from Brazil, which are of excellent quality."
The selling prices of watermelons are currently around €1.20 per kilo. "Each year, demand for watermelons continues to grow. We see extremely strong demand, especially in the second half of the season," he says. A notable trend is that watermelons no longer necessarily have to be seedless—seeded watermelons are also becoming more widely accepted in the market, although this likely has to do with pricing as well," the importer adds.
Gino van Lin and Eric Bongaerts of Frankort&Koning visiting Agrilibano in Honduras
Cantaloupe, Charentais, Galia, and yellow melons are currently being sourced by Frankort&Koning from Honduras (via its partner Agrolibano) and Brazil. "Supplies of Cantaloupe and Charentais are somewhat disappointing due to lower production and strong demand from the United States. Galia melons are seeing stable supply, although the sizes are slightly smaller than last year," says Gino. Sales prices for Cantaloupe, Galia, and yellow melons are currently at levels of €1.80–2.00, €1.50, and €1.30 per kilo, respectively.
"However, we are seeing significant delays in container shipments. Port inspections are also frequent, which drives up prices—especially toward the weekend," Gino notes. "Last week, the final conventional boat from our Brazilian cultivation partner Agricola Famosa arrived in Rotterdam. We are extremely satisfied with that shipment. We don't experience delays with it. These melons arrive on dedicated shipments, and we really notice a difference in quality due to the shorter transit time. This allows us to truly make a difference for the customer."
For more information:
Gino van Lin
Frankort&Koning
Tel: +31 077 3897333
g.vlin@frankort.nl
www.frankort.nl