Melon shipments from the Westside district of California’s San Joaquin Valley got underway right after Independence Day and volume this season is expected to be good, and similar to last year.
In 2021, California growers produced 14 million 40-pound cartons of cantaloupe, 5.9 million 30-pound cartons of honeydew melons and 2.7 million 30-pound cartons of mixed melons, which includes all other melons except watermelons, according to the California Melon Research Board, based in Dinuba.
The board estimated roughly the same volumes for the upcoming season at its January meeting.
Growers in the San Joaquin Valley produced nearly 215 million pounds of seedless watermelons in 2021, according to the USDA.
Classic Fruit Co. of Frenso reports the melon shipping season had started out very good with quality and volume for cantaloupe and honeydew. Westside Produce Inc., Firebaugh, Calif.
Westside Produce Inc., Firebaugh, CA expects to have similar volume as a year ago and described quality as “fantastic,” with high brix and high yields.
Couture Farms is located at Kettleman City near Huron, CA and notes specialty melons should be of good quality this season. The company grows hami, piel de sapo, canary, orange flesh, galia and golden dews melons that are primarily packed and marketed by Five Crowns Marketing, Brawley, CA.
Volume and acreage has declined in California, largely because of tight water supplies, the company reports.
Pacific Trellis Fruit of Los Angeles has several kinds of watermelons this summer ranging from conventional and organic mini seedless watermelons, SunnyGold yellow mini seedless watermelons and Sugar Daddy full-size seedless watermelons.
Growers in the San Joaquin Valley produced nearly 215 million pounds of seedless watermelons in 2021, according to the USDA.
Pacific Trellis Fruit also offers Summer Kiss and Sugar Kiss melons and Tuscan-style cantaloupe.
Growers are concerned about steadily rising costs. Water, fertilizer, cartons, pallets and even strapping for pallets were costing much more than last season.
The cost of fertilizer, which can account for 20% to 30% of a crop’s budget, has increased over 100%, pallet and carton costs are up 30% to 40% and fuel prices have doubled over last season.