Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Kazakhstan: melon and watermelon season nearing completion with prices lower year-on-year
The Kazakhstani melon and watermelon season is nearing completion, according to Fruit-Inform. This year it is drawing to a close with no delay compared with 2016, but current prices are significantly lower year-on-year.
Now growers are ready to ship their watermelons at KZT 25-30/kg (USD 0.07-0.09/kg). For comparison, prices often reached KZT 40/kg in the end of the past season. Melon prices vary between KZT 35-50/kg (USD 0.09-0.16/kg), while a year before they sometimes went up to KZT 110/kg.
Such a sharp difference in prices is connected with a significant decrease in the demand for melons and watermelons in Kazakhstan. In addition, growers try to accelerate sales of available quantities and are ready to make price concessions. Nevertheless, the majority of growers are satisfied with the results of the outgoing season thanks to high demand for their produce shown by exporters within the whole sale period.