The warm weather is bringing on all at once crops that had been planted at staggered intervals. 'What we are seeing is first and second plantings overlapping and coming on stream together,' explained Francisco Tello of importer Fesa. 'This has been happening over the last week or so and is affecting both Galia and yellow melon production. Cantaloupe is not as hard hit as producers planted less than last season in favour of Galia.' As a result of the oversupply, prices are plummeting with wholesale markets struggling to sell whole cartons for 250p. Supermarkets are running buy-one-get-one free and two-for-199p offers this week as suppliers work to alleviate the effects of market flooding and restore balance and better prices. The UK market situation is mirrored around Europe in other major markets for Spanish fruit such as Germany.

However, oversupply this month is likely to be followed by shortage. 'The consequence of this situation could be a lack of product in mid-August,' warned Tello. 'It all depends on what happens with the weather between now and then.'

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