The new season's mini watermelons, grown in Italy, have been on the market for a few days. This is a much better start than last season, when orders were weak until July due to poor weather that discouraged consumption of summer fruits.
"At the moment, we're producing one barrel of processed goods per day, but we're set to triple that volume as soon as next week," says Salvatore Lotta, the commercial director of the Italian producers' organization O.P. Agricola Campidanese, which cultivates around 300 hectares of watermelons and melons. "After distributing the first Sicilian products, we are now harvesting the first fruits of the Eleonora, Gavina, and Gavina Black watermelon varieties grown in Sardinia. The weather on the island hasn't been too bad so far, with sunny days alternating with rainy days—the latter of which is essential for coping with the scorching heat."
The typical enthusiasm at the end of April for the arrival of new products is over. It was characterized by very high prices. Now, prices have settled down to what is considered the average. "It is a calm, but rewarding beginning, and certainly better than it was in 2024. The arrival of warmer weather in northern Italy and abroad will lead to an increase in orders.
The Gavina Black watermelon is the Sardinian organization's novelty of the season. It is seedless and comes in sizes ranging from 1.2 to 2 kilograms. It has a compact, crunchy texture; a skin thickness of about 0.5 cm; and a long shelf life. "Although the number of hectares dedicated to watermelon cultivation is changing, the overall production remains stable. This is largely due to a shift in preference from large, traditional watermelons to smaller cultivars, which consumers prefer for their convenience and ease of transport. Producers who promptly recognize and adapt to these agronomic and commercial shifts will maintain a robust market presence and achieve satisfactory results."
Additionally, Europe is experiencing positive developments in the commercial sector. "In accordance with programs defined with foreign buyers during the winter months, deliveries to Europe will begin anytime now. The primary destinations are supermarkets in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. If last year we started exporting watermelons during the first week of July, this year, due to frequent rainfall and below-average temperatures, the new campaign seems to be starting with a different briskness. However, we are waiting for the real arrival of summer 2025."
For more information:
Agricola Campidanese
Via Doria, 5
09098 Terralba (OR) - Italy
+39 0783 022959
[email protected]
lortodieleonora.com