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The needed regulation of the sector With a production volume close to 20,000 tons between melon and watermelon, the president of the Cooperativa de Santiago Apostol de Tomelloso, JosĂŠ Ă ngel Serrano, is a valid interlocutor to address important issues that could improve the situation of the sector. regulation can not be considered in isolation, but within a set of measures aimed at achieving greater profitability for all: producers, marketers and distribution. Measures Firstly, JosĂŠ Angel Serrano defends a greater promotion of the product, not only at a regional level, but national and above all international. To increase consumption levels, especially melons in Europe, where the intake is only 400 grams per person per year, would be a great boost. Secondly, quality must be improved: compared to the volume, offering top-quality fruit and, above all, controlling the moment of cutting in the case of melons. And as a third measure, the regulation of the aforementioned surface.
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According to data from the Lonja de MelĂłn and SandĂa de La Mancha, the average prices reached in 2017 for the extra category melon were between 0.34-0.36 â&#x201A;Ź / kg, correct levels that, however, hide a very different reality that is not good for the sector: too many irregularities in the prices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There were times when the farmer was paid 6 cents and others in which prices increased to â&#x201A;Ź 0.60 / kgâ&#x20AC;?, explains JosĂŠ Ă ngel Serrano, president of the Cooperativa de Santiago Apostol de Tomelloso, for whom these saw teeth are really negative. Faced with this situation, Serrano advocates for greater regularization in production. But how to carry it out? We asked. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As in other sectors such as the vine, melon and watermelon we need a control of productionâ&#x20AC;?, he says, adding that this