Hungarian open-field watermelons and cantaloupes will soon be arriving on the market in large quantities, and producers expect them to be of excellent quality again this year, according to a statement from the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture (NAK). In Hungary, approximately 1,500 families are engaged in melon cultivation, and annual per capita consumption is 10–12 kilograms of watermelon and 1.5 kilograms of cantaloupe.
Weather conditions have been more favorable for melons so far than last year, and the spring frosts did not cause significant damage to the plantations. This is partly due to the fact that in eastern Hungary, the plants were planted after the severe frosts had passed.
This year, watermelons are being grown on approximately 3,480 hectares in Hungary, representing a three to four percent decrease compared to the previous year. Within the production structure, early-season greenhouse cultivation has also begun to gain ground. Thanks to greenhouse cultivation, the season can be extended, though the proportion of greenhouse-grown watermelons remains insignificant.
Watermelons from large-scale greenhouse cultivation will appear on the market starting Thursday, while
domestically grown open-field watermelons will become available in smaller quantities starting July 1 and will be featured in the product offerings of all grocery stores nationwide between July 5 and 10.
Once again this year, Békés County has the largest area dedicated to watermelon cultivation, at approximately 1,300 hectares. In the eastern Hungarian region, the estimated cultivation area is 1,245 hectares; in Heves County, 270 hectares are devoted to watermelons, and in Tolna County, 265 hectares.
Ripe watermelons in a field on the outskirts of Gerendás, Békés County, last year. Photo: MTI/Lehoczky Péter
This year’s data shows a slight decrease in almost all growing regions. Only in Baranya County has the size of the growing area remained stable (130 hectares). In the rest of the country, watermelons are grown sporadically, covering a total of 270 hectares.
Thanks to significant advances in variety selection and production technology, average yields and crop reliability have improved considerably in recent years.
Consumers are increasingly able to find seedless and smaller watermelons grown domestically.
Based on current estimates, a harvest of approximately 160,000 metric tons is expected. Two-thirds of this is expected to be sold in domestic stores and markets, while one-third will be exported. The main target markets for Hungarian watermelons include the Visegrad countries, but significant quantities are also exported to Germany, the Baltic states, and Scandinavia.
As for cantaloupes, the expansion in cultivation area observed in recent years has continued this year as well.
According to estimates, farmers across the country are growing yellow- and green-fleshed cantaloupes on approximately 500 hectares, with the expected yield reaching 16,500 metric tons.
Photo: Pixabay
The Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, the Hungarian Fruit and Vegetable Interprofessional Organization (FruitVeB), and the Hungarian Melon Growers’ Association are asking consumers to choose domestic cantaloupes and yellow melons over imported ones.
Via MTI, Featured image: Pexels
