The watermelon season in the northern hemisphere has started. Fresh & Cash Ltd in Wuppertal is now loading the first batches from Mauritania. "We now get one truck a week and start the new season several weeks earlier compared to last year. Normally, the season doesn't really get going until April," says owner Cevdet Cavusoglu. He expects the first arrivals from Morocco in April as well.
Seeded watermelons from Mauritania in Fresh & Cash's incoming goods department
According
to Cavusoglu, the early produce from the North African country is of good quality. "The produce is nice and thick and weighs around ten to twelve kilos each. Also, Mauritanian fruit is in no way inferior to the Moroccan product in terms of taste, because basically the same varieties are grown in both countries. Especially in the early sector, Mauritanian watermelons already have interesting future potential."
Price-wise, the commodity is around 1.20-1.30/kg on sale with a manageable demand, Cavusoglu continues. "Just over a week ago we were at 1.70-1.80 euros/kg, but the demand is quite low now for the early goods. We will sell the seeded product primarily to Turkish and Arab supermarkets, but the food service industry mainly asks for seedless melons."
Cevdet Cavusoglu during a FreshPlaza visit in October 2022.
Normally, overseas melons from Brazil, for example, would have been offered at this time of year. "Only very limited volumes from Brazil will hit the market, whether watermelons or other varieties. Then, the few volumes that are available are marketed at very high prices. It is all the better that we have now found a good and closer alternative in Mauritania."
Direct imports from Turkey hardly affected
The Wuppertal-based company is also known for its direct imports from Turkey. The earthquake in eastern Turkey has hardly affected this line of business, he said. "We still get fresh tomatoes and pointed peppers from Turkey several times a week. The bulk of our produce comes from the Antalya and Mersin growing regions, so eastern Turkey is less important for us."
Images: Fresh & Cash Ltd.
For more information:
Cevdet Cavusoglu
Fresh & Cash GmbH
Vohwinkler Str. 119b
42329 Wuppertal
Tel.:+49 174 3929313
[email protected]
www.freshandcash.de