Lower Sonora plantings boosting melon markets

Sonoran melon acreage is down this fall, especially in the Caborca area, according to Miky Suarez, sales manager and partner in MAS Melons & Grapes LLC.

Caborca’s acreage is down 50% from a year ago.  “I don’t know the acreage in Hermosillo, but I don’t think it’s very big either. For that reason, we’re having a pretty good season on honeydew melons.”

Speaking with FreshFruitPortal.com Oct. 21 at the Global Fresh Produce & Floral Show in Anaheim, Suarez said the Sonora honeydew melons started Oct. 12. With California melons finishing earlier than normal and Arizona acreage being smaller than California, “we’re having good activity on the melons.” The fruit quality is good, he adds.

MAS, based in Rio Rico, AZ, this fall is also shipping watermelons from Hermosillo and watermelon and mini watermelon from Caborca. “Mini watermelon is very active in the market also. Seedless watermelons – are a little slow.”

Caborca will be shipping a little later than normal, perhaps until the first week of December. 

Honeydew and watermelons will be coming from Hermosillo until Dec. 20.

MAS is shipping kabocha squash from November until the beginning of January. 

Then, in early January, the firm will begin honeydew, watermelons and mini watermelons from Colima and Nayarit. This deal will run until the first week of April.

Then Hermosillo will resume with the watermelons and honeydews in the second week of April.

Suarez said the Sonoran table grape deal will begin in mid-May.