This year, the area dedicated to watermelon and melon fields in Ukraine is the smallest it has ever been. These fields are now half the size they were before the full-scale invasion. In 2024, watermelons and melons are grown on just 30,000 hectares. This is even less than in 2022 (33,900 hectares), and far below 2021, when they covered 61,800 hectares.
Despite an early harvest starting in mid-June, supermarkets initially stocked mostly imported watermelons from Greece, Turkey, Spain, and Italy, along with melons from Spain. Local watermelons are now appearing in stores, causing prices to drop.
However, imported watermelons are more expensive than local ones. Early this week, Italian watermelons were sold for EUR 1.12 per kg in supermarkets, while Ukrainian watermelons in Kyiv retailed at EUR 0.5 per kg, with wholesale prices as low as EUR 0.2 per kg.
The reduction in field areas is just one factor behind this year's poor melon crop. Russian occupation has destroyed much of the infrastructure in the Kherson region, including irrigation and logistics. Transporting watermelons via the Dnipro River is no longer possible.
Additionally, attempts to grow melons in new regions have not always been successful, leading to higher costs and lower yields. Traditional melon markets in big cities are also disrupted due to a shortage of sellers.
A seasonal surge in watermelon and melon availability is unlikely, and significant price drops are not expected. However, the shortage makes watermelon farming more profitable, especially near major cities like Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kharkiv regions, and even Zhytomyr, where climate change is making melon farming possible.
Source: biz.liga.net