LA SANDÍA NO ES UN CULTIVO QUE LO PUEDA HACER CUALQUIERA

La especialización en el cultivo de sandía es importante y bien lo saben en la empresa murciana Pozo Sur, líderes en la producción y comercialización de esta fruta.

Libre Mercado

En la pasada campaña el precio de la sandía se multiplicó por tres con respecto al año anterior. Sin embargo, la tónica de esta temporada no apunta, a principios de campaña, en la misma dirección, como declara el gerente de Pozo Sur, Juan López: “El año pasado había más demanda que oferta y de ahí el incremento de su precio en el mercado, pero este año hay menos demanda y más oferta, por lo que el precio está siendo menor”.

Es El Clima En Destino

Como estos condicionantes no se pueden controlar, en Pozo Sur utilizan criterios de prudencia cuando mantienen los programas de producción de un año a otro; ya que saben que, finalmente, es el clima en destino el que marcará el nivel de consumo y, por tanto, de demanda.

ESPECIALISTAS

Ajenos a estos factores que no pueden controlar, focalizan sus esfuerzos en optimizar la calidad. Fruto de sus años de experiencia, es un reto conseguido que creen que no puede lograr cualquiera, ya que se basa en la especialización. Esto responde al hecho de que en esta campaña no haya aumentado de forma considerable la superficie de sandía a pesar de los buenos resultados del año anterior. También ha influido la fuerte inversión que supone el cultivo, que también frena la apuesta por su desarrollo. Aun así, es un cultivo en auge en los últimos años debido a su demanda creciente.

PROEXPORT. PAGE 69

Exceptional Quality

The weather conditions of the melon and watermelon season have been favourable, which suggests a higher yield and optimum quality, especially in watermelon.

Good Weather

The weather circumstances have been exceptional in general (not counting the areas affected by the DANA in May), giving rise to excellent quality fruit, especially watermelon outdoors.

This is how Juan López, deputy coordinator of the Melon and Watermelon sector of Proexport, explains it to us.

Limiting Factors

Aspects such as the lack of water or the current high costs of cultivation have caused these cucurbits to be planted, without great growth.

The challenge now for these professionals is to continue working focused on obtaining flavour and always with good agricultural practices.

AGROBORJA. PAGE 70

The Generational Change Drives The Growth Of Agroborja

The family business continues to grow in production and implementing investments in its facilities, as a result of its commitment to improve quality and service.

A Future With A Name And Surname

Many agricultural companies have the uncertainty of not having relief but it is not the case of Agroborja where five of the children are already an active part, contributing to the future of the firm. With this in mind, many investments have been made to increase its capacity.

Ifs Certification

Another of Agroborja’s great achievements has been obtaining the IFS seal in the warehouse: “It gives us a guarantee of quality”, says Antonio Borja, its manager.

This has been a response to the growth of the watermelon export line. So much so, that now this cucurbit represents 70% compared to melon.

PEÑARROYA. PAGE 71 AN EXTRAORDINARY WATERMELON SEASON

This is how they define the past watermelon season at the Cooperativa Nuestra Señora de Peñarroya, where the export line played an essential role.

An Unprecedented Exercise

Neither the adverse weather nor the increase in costs managed to tarnish the last watermelon campaign. The high temperatures at destination helped to obtain a high level of demand. In melon, for its part, the demand, mainly national, was lower, although linear, at least managing to pass on the costs, according to the president of Peñarroya, Ramón Lara. For this season, the cultivated area is maintained, perhaps somewhat higher in watermelon.

New Projects

The cooperative plans to start a collaboration with Grupo AN, one of the largest firms in the fruit and vegetable sector, whose current commitment is focused on expanding its offer of melon and watermelon.

AGROMANCHA. PAGE 71 "WE DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL MANAGE TO HAVE WATER BY THE END OF THE SEASON"

The need to have more water, together with the lack of rain, leads to fears that it may not be available for the season.

Juan Ángel Gutiérrez, the melon and watermelon producers of La Mancha will hardly be able to "bring the campaign to completion" taking into account that it has not rained and that they will exhaust the endowment assigned ahead of time since "for this campaign more water will be needed". Even so, they expect to have a better performance compared to the previous year, in which there was a significant decrease at the beginning of the campaign.

END OF CAMPAIGN

For the manager of Agromancha, Juan Ángel Gutiérrez, the melon and watermelon producers of La

They have been associated with Anecoop for three seasons, as detailed by José Ángel Serrano, president of the Coop. S. Apóstol de Tomelloso: "Through Anecoop, we have been able to serve large surfaces and increase our watermelon export quota", comments Serrano.

COOP. SANT. APÓSTOL. PAGE 72 "WE ARE THE MAIN PARTNER OF ANECOOP IN LA MANCHA"

One of the main projects that the cooperative plans to carry out with Anecoop is to offer melon and watermelon all year round.

The balance that the Santiago Apóstol de Tomelloso Cooperative makes of being a member of Anecoop is very positive, in such a way that they propose new and ambitious projects together.

A PARTNER THAT LEADS TO SUCCESS

They have been associated with Anecoop for three seasons, as detailed

It seems that at the end of this year or the beginning of the next it will finally be able to carry out the work that it wants to undertake to double its working capacity for both national and export watermelons. And it is that, in recent years, its export line in this fruit has gone from 5 to 15%, and the forecasts are growing.

G. NÚÑEZ GARCÍA FILOSO. PAGE 72 GROWING DEMAND FOR WATERMELON IN EUROPE RESTRUCTURES THE SECTOR

For the company melon continues to represent the main product despite the expected growth in watermelon.

For years watermelon has been gaining ground over melon in Castilla La Mancha, causing companies in the area to grow in parallel and adapt to new needs, as Grupo Núñez García Filoso, S.L. hopes to do soon.

WAREHOUSE EXPANSION

It seems that at the end of this year or the beginning of the next it will

EL MELONERO. PAGE 73

Growth at Hermanos Agudo Contreras (El Melonero) has been sustained and more intense in the last year, where they obtained excellent results.

A Benchmark In Quality

The origin has always marked a differentiation in melon. Proof of this is El Melonero, whose brand is a benchmark, which has allowed it to experience significant growth in recent years. Its key principle has always been to offer excellent quality.

Cost Optimization

Given the increase in costs, El Melonero has focused on reducing and optimizing processes.

77 The Quality Of The Product Is Excellent

If this season stands out for something, it is the quality that the melon and watermelon are registering, although factors such as lower demand and the lack of water could make the sector return to negative dynamics.

A Different Season

While in the previous year there was little production and a high level of demand, in this year the tables have been turned. "In this context, it is difficult for prices to remain high", says Alberto Montaña, director of Vicente Peris, who emphasizes that, however, the quality of the product is still excellent.

WATER, A CONDITIONING FACTOR

Undoubtedly, the drought can mark this campaign, since there is some uncertainty due to the constant revisions of the availability of irrigation water in the different autonomous communities.

BOLLO. PAGE 75

SCHEDULED HECTARES"

FRUTÍNTER. PAGE 76 MARYMAR, A BRAND OF DIFFERENTIATION AND QUALITY

Despite the difficulties of last season and the uncertainty of this one, Bollo maintains the quality of its product as a priority.

CAMPAIGNS

The 2023 melon and watermelon season has started with very good quality since the weather during the months of March, April and May have been favourable for production, with good fruit set and fattening.

TRENDS

The European market is accepting the Piel de Sapo melon very well. France, appreciates its flavour and aroma.

The high prices of last season made it very difficult to market it, this is why Bruñó points out that a regular production is more accessible.

Strategy And Projects

After 2022 where the company was integrated into The Natural Fruit Company group, the strategy to follow is simple, to promote the brand in every sales area, trying to take advantage with quality and service for 12 months.

This summer, the company is going to present Sweet Heart as a novelty.

The company has 20 hectares of its own production in a traditional area of Castellón, a local project that has "good quality water".

Own Production

Frutínter has its own and associated production of melon and watermelon in Almería, Murcia, La Mancha, Valencia and, from this year, in Castellón, which provides differentiation.

New Project

David Usó announces the launch of a local melon project, thanks to its own production. The company will market the production grown under the brand MARYMAR.

81 Higher Volume For This Campaign

AGROPONIENTE.

The weather is being favourable for melon and watermelon crops, giving rise to higher yield forecasts than last year.

In addition, the quality is also being optimal.

Growth

In Agroponiente, in addition to the increase in crop area registered for this season and which will provide a greater volume, they foresee a higher yield per hectare, according to their manager, Imanol Almudí: "The good results of the previous season, together with favourable weather conditions will make us grow moderately this year in melon and watermelon".

On the commercial level, they expect a positive year globally. Especially, taking into account that the quality of the fruit is being optimal in both crops.

"WATERMELON IS NOT A CROP THAT ANYONE CAN DO"

Specialization in this crop is important and they know it well at Pozo Sur.

Free Market

In the last season the price of watermelon multiplied with respect to the previous year. However, this season's trend is not pointing in the same direction, as stated by the manager of Pozo Sur, Juan López: "Last year there was more demand than supply and hence the increase in its market price, but this year there is less demand and more supply, so the price is being lower”.

Specialists

The quality of its product is based on specialization. This responds to the fact that this campaign the area of watermelon has not increased despite the good results of the previous year. The investment involved in the crop has also had an influence. Even so, it is a booming crop in recent years due to its great demand.