Forecasts point to a 15.2 per cent fall in shipments this season
Honduran melon exports have decreased by 15.23 per cent so far in 2024/25 due to lower production at one of the two main grower-exporter companies.
According to a foreign trade report from the Central Bank of Honduras (BCH), exports to February stood at 80,838 tonnes, compared to 95,368 tonnes in the first two months of 2024, a reduction of 14,530 tonnes.
The main cause of the drop in exports is the reduction in plantings at Grupo Sol, a Japanese-owned company that announced this measure in October 2024 due to lower demand for melons in the US, the main market for Honduran melons. The company also cited other factors such as high production costs compared to other countries in the region, limitations in electricity distribution and high tariffs.
As of June 2024, according to the BCH, Honduran melon exports totalled 186,000 tonnes worth US$98.6mn. By June 2025, the export volume is forecast to reach 158,000 tonnes, a reduction of 28,000 tonnes.
On the plus side, international prices have improved this season, rising from an average of US$0.56 per kilo to US$0.67 per kilo. This means that despite the lower export volumes, returns totalled US$54mn in the first two months of 2025, up from US$53.2mn in the year-earlier period.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock estimates that there are approximately 11,500ha of melon production in Honduras. The main varieties grown are Cantaloupe, Galia and Honeydew, with exports running from December to June.
