These fruits are grown in solar greenhouses in Southern Europe and are the first melons and watermelons produced across the entire European continent.
Thanks to solar energy, greenhouses in Southern Europe ensure efficient and environmentally friendly production. This system enables high-quality cultivation with low CO₂ emissions and efficient water use during the spring season. In addition, the production of fruit and vegetables in solar-powered greenhouses offers consumers sustainable solutions and the use of eco-friendly techniques, such as biological pest control.
Greenhouse-grown fruit and vegetables have won over German consumers with their freshness, flavour, sustainable production systems, environmental friendliness, and food safety. Consumption of melons and watermelons has increased in recent years, reflecting growing consumer interest in healthy and sustainable products. In 2023, Germans consumed 425,000 tonnes of watermelons, according to the statistics portal Statista—the second-highest figure ever recorded after 2019.
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Regarding the origin of imports, the Federal Statistical Office reports that more than half of the melons and watermelons consumed in Germany in 2022 came from Spain. The same source highlights a remarkable 62% increase in consumption between 2010 and 2020.
