We are well into springtime and that means melon shipments are underway, or soon will be from shipping areas across the country. Decent volume is expected by at least some areas by the middle of May. Here is a brief look at the plans of a few melon shippers located in different area of the U.S.
West
For example Five Crowns Marketing of Brawley, CA plans to start shipping watermelons from the Imperial Valley about May 1st just as imported melons are wanning. It also will be shipping mini watermelons later in the season from Arizona.
Legend Produce Dos Palos, CA, located in the Merced area of the San Joaquin Valley, should start shipping within the next week as it transitions from importing melons from Guatemala and Honduras.
Likewise Pacific Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms of Los Angeles will begin cantaloupe shipments, as well as yellow personal watermelons from the Yuma, AZ area around the middle of May.
Del Mar Packing of Westley, CA. located about 15 miles southwest of Modesto, starts its melon season in early July.
Texas
Dixondale Farms of Carrizo Springs, TX, located about 115 miles Southwest of San Antonio, is the state’s largest grower and shippers of cantaloupes, with loadings to start in May.
Eastern
Jackson Farming Co. is headquartered in Autryville, NC, but ships from several areas on the East Coast plans It will kick off its seeded and seedless watermelon season with shipments out of Bradenton, FL the second week of May, and expects to have good volume leading up to Memorial Day. Then the company will be shifting production to Leslie, GA., with peak volume plans for loadings leading up for the Fourth of July with seedless watermelons. Jackson’s final stop of the season is the Autryville operation that ships watermelons, cantaloupes and honeydew melons through Labor Day.
The company plans to increase its North Carolina on seedless watermelon volume close 20 percent this season.