"Our green melon, ancient in history but modern in taste, will soon be in supermarkets"

The harvest of the Piel de Sapo green melon under the brand name 'Il Nuragico' on 26 June 2024 marked the beginning of the harvest in the Sardinian areas of Agro Mediterranea Distribuzione. "We have started with the first six hectares and the product is of good quality, with a Brix of 13, the right size and the right color. The summer weather seems to have finally arrived for a few days, with temperatures above 30°C, and as a result we hope that consumption of this product will increase. Deliveries to the major retailers have been scheduled to begin on the 30th of June. This year, the area dedicated to the Piel de Sapo melon has seen an increase of around 10 percent."

These are the words of Andrea Manca, partner with Filippo Frongia of Agro Mediterranea Distribuzione, an Italian company specializing in the supply of fruit and vegetable products to large retailers. The company is part of the Agro Mediterranea Group.

Piel de Sapo green melon under the brand name 'Il Nuragico'.

"In the coming days, we will also continue with the harvest of the first batches of mini melons. The current prices are not high because the bad weather has not favored the sale of this category of product. The number of hectares has remained stable compared to the last campaign," says Frongia.

The outlook for the melon and watermelon season is positive, and prices will definitely be affected by volumes, which may increase or decrease depending on the weather. "At the moment, there does not seem to be a lot of crops on the markets. This should translate into medium to high prices," the two partners point out. "When we talk about competition, Spain is undoubtedly an important competitor. However, over the years we have focused on quality. People often think that quality means low production volumes. Not at all. One has to find the right balance between quality and quantity in order to position oneself on the market and offer a service. This approach pays off in the long run. In addition, having the right product on the shelf allows consumers to become familiar with it, appreciate its taste, recognize its brand and packaging, and buy it again. This applies to the melon and watermelon category, but also to all fruit and vegetable products."

Moro Sardo and Datterino tomatoes.

Moro Sardo tomato season comes to an end
"The campaign for our Moro Sardo tomato, which has been very successful and has grown every year, will end soon, in about 10 days. We have seen a 30% increase in sales of this premium product this year, but demand remains high, and we have not been able to fill all the orders. In fact, for next year, we are planning to increase production by at least 4–5 hectares," explains Manca. "As for datterino, cherries and piccadilly, we can produce them all year round. It is important to ensure continuity on the fruit and vegetable shelves, which is why we have increased the area dedicated to these varieties this year."

"A good response has also been received for the nickel-free line. Since last year we have been offering the red and yellow datterino varieties produced on the farm of our group, Sapore Sardo. From this year on, we should extend the offer to piccadilly and cherry tomatoes."

Nickel free yellow and red datterino line.

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"We are launching a new line of black tomatoes that we have been testing for three years. Limited quantities are sold in a Sardinian chain. The results are good. Consumers appreciate the vegetable," says Frongia.

Agro Mediterranea Distribuzione also has a new product in the melon category. "This year we will launch a new yellow melon with red flesh," adds Manca. "We have been experimenting for the last two years and the Brix level has reached 16-17. We have sufficient quantities to meet the needs of some of our customers.

Pictures provided by Andrea Manca