The varieties from Ramiro Arnedo resolve the lack of endurance of the traditional materials on the market
The seed company Ramiro Arnedo has brought an end to a common problem in melon-growing, with two varieties that do not split, thanks to a greater endurance on the plant, a characteristic that traditional piel de sapo melon varieties do not have and that reduce farmers’ earnings due to the loss of profitability and kilos.
María García, a melon-improver at Ramiro Arnedo, explains that “if a buyer from a well-known brand arrives and wants melons at 14º brix, but the farmer only has them at 12º, with the current varieties, they split in just a matter of days.”
With Valentín and Mirambel, this does not happen. Both are designed for the Almeria region; Valentín for early cycles and Mirambel for medium-late cycles, and they have already found a space amongst producers who are looking for a solution to splitting, as they allow the harvest to last longer, with top-quality until the right buyer appears.
Amongst their main values, their easy grooving also stands out, a characteristic demanded by the markets because it makes the fruit look attractive on the outside. Added to this is the fact that “they are sweet and good to eat, with crunchy, juicy flesh,” according to Jorge Bervel, a sales technician from the company.
The sowing dates for Almeria melons are not the best for the optimum development of this crop. “The cycles are shorter and on earlier dates, therefore the weather conditions are not the best, as occurs in Castilla La Mancha,” the melon-improver explains. “For this reason, we have to develop varieties that adapt to the Almeria cycle.” With Valentín and Mirambel, Ramiro Arnedo is covering the two crop cycles in the province and it resolves the calibre problems according to the sowing dates, obtaining fruit from 3 to 3.5 kilos.
Specifically, with the earliest variety, Valentín, farmers easily obtain a larger melon, whilst with the later Mirambel, they manage to contain the calibre.
