Big supply shortage results in price of two of most popular summer fruits in Malaga doubling

Queues have formed outside some supermarkets before they open as residents desperately try to grab the fruit off the shelves before stock runs out each day

Matías Stuber

Malaga

Monday, 31 July 2023, 19:07

The price of watermelons and melons has doubled as greengrocers in Malaga suffer a shortage of supply in the popular summer fruits.

The scarcity is also causing queues to form outside supermarkets in Malaga before they open as residents desperately try to nab them off the shelves before the stock runs out.

Among those waiting, María Cañizares, a resident of Capuchinos district in Malaga, said: "I feel like eating watermelon, it is the fruit that goes well with the heat. If you don't get there early, then there are none".

Francisco Torres, one of the farmers who grows watermelon in Malaga said the drought is causing the shortage, but storms also destroyed crops. He usually plants in the fertile lowlands of the Guadalhorce, Churriana and Alhaurín de la Torre and said the rains in May and June "spoiled" much of the harvest.

"The storms in May and June also caught many by surprise. There were several hailstorms that did a lot of damage. As it is a summer crop, in May or June it no longer needs water," Torres said.

"This year we are seeing that many farmers have just enough to get by," he added. "As I said before, being a summer fruit, the conditions of May and June have been very bad. Rain, sun, temperature difference between day and night... the fruit shrinks inside."

The shortage of supply has also impacted the price. "One kilo of watermelon is now close to one euro. Last year, in comparison, it was 40 cents," Torres pointed out. The cost for melons, which are suffering from the same issue, is even higher. "A kilo of melon is around two euros and last year it was 40 or 50 cents," he added.

The president of Maskom supermarkets, Sergio Cuberos, confirmed problems with supply and said it has been difficult to keep shelves full over summer. "We have noticed the drop in production. Both in watermelon and melons," he said, adding that the fruits are two of the most demanded during the summer months. "The increase in price also leads to customers buying less. We notice it, above all, because whole watermelons have fewer sales. People are now buying half a watermelon," he said.

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