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UPDATE: CANTALOUPE AND HONEYDEW MELONS

October 20, 2025

Production is shifting to the Arizona/California desert region, as California’s San Joaquin Valley season ends. Markon First Crop (MFC) Cantaloupe and Honeydew Melons are available.

Cantaloupe

San Joaquin Valley, California

  • Harvesting has finished early for most suppliers
  • Recent rain has prevented growers from re-entering fields

Arizona-California Desert Region

  • The season’s first harvests have begun
  • Size is dominated by nine-count fruit, followed by jumbo nine-counts; size will increase as the season progresses
  • Quality is fair, as early October rains caused some issues
    • Growers report a heavy presence of dirt and mud on the netting
    • Soft melons and ground spotting are possible problems due to excess moisture
  • Expect prices to remain elevated, as desert acreage is down this year

Honeydew

San Joaquin Valley, California

  • Harvesting has finished early for most suppliers
  • Recent rain has prevented growers from re-entering fields

Arizona-California Desert Region

  • The season’s first harvests will begin later this week
  • Early season supplies are dominated by five-count fruit, followed by jumbo five-counts; size will increase through the season
  • Quality remains decent, with some scarring and occasional discoloration being reported
  • A potential gap between growing regions may occur, though the Mexican crop is helping offset any significant shortages
  • Pricing has inched higher due to tighter overall supplies and limited overlap with the Westside season; expect prices to remain at higher levels as acreage is down in the desert

Sonora, Mexico

  • Seasonal harvesting has started
  • New crop supplies are helping offset tight domestic stocks

Please contact your Markon Account Manager for more information.

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