Melon Gaps Open Up
Melon supplies are running tight as dovetailing this season between the end of Brazilian supplies and the beginning of fruit from Costa Rica.

Importers report the Costa Rican season is running some two to four weeks behind schedule as rains during December delayed planting.

And more recent rains are affecting Brazilian availability.

“Our first fruit from Costa Rica is leaving this week,” said Steven Fagg of Janic. He said there is significantly less Galia coming out of the Central American source as growers concentrate on Honeydew, Cantaloupe and watermelon which they can grow better. Importers are increasingly turning to neighbouring Honduras and Panama for supplies of Galia.

“We really could have done with Costa Rica starting on time,” said Fagg. “Brazil is just about still going as they have had rainfall and vessels have been late as there has not been enough cargo to load. There are therefore a few gaps in availability. It won’t really be until the end of February before things are running nice and smoothly.”

At JP Dole technical manager for melons Atha Mandis reports a four-week delay to the start of the Costa Rican season compared to last year. “We are fortunate because we have Cyro hybrid Galia from De Ruiter Seeds in Brazil which is a later variety,” said Mandis. “When other varieties are nose-diving it goes from strength to strength.” JP Dole also has breadth of sourcing; it is now into its third week of fruit from Honduras and has sources in Senegal and South Africa to draw on.

At J.M. Levarht & Zn the Costa Rican season is starting on time thanks to different growing areas. “Because of weather conditions we always plant in two different parts of Costa Rica,” said Levarht’s Menno Moerdijk. “Normally the rainy season stops earlier in Guanacaste in north-west Costa Rica and therefore we can plant the seeds there earlier then in Parita in the south. The season is right on schedule, no delays.”