The overall majority of Moroccan watermelon growers produce seeded varieties, with large sizes reaching 8-12 and up to 30 kg per melon. This type of watermelon represents the bulk of Moroccan volumes, with over 99%, and this varietal choice has its advantages and limits. Obeida Mansour, CEO of Universal Peppers, begs to differ and is the only Moroccan exporter of small round seedless watermelons.
Mansour stated: "For the past two years, we've been producing a watermelon variety similar to those produced in Spain or Italy. To my knowledge, we are not the first to have tested it in Morocco, and some growers have carried out trials for its development. However, at Universal Peppers, we are certainly the first to have produced it on a commercial scale and exported it."
The reason why this variety has been slow to be introduced in Morocco, even though it is in great demand in the European market, even more requested than traditional Moroccan varieties, is that it is not culturally and commercially associated with Moroccan agriculture. Mansour explains: "It's a very risky venture. On the one hand, the Moroccan domestic market absorbs large volumes of watermelons and provides security for the liquidation of non-exported surpluses. However, the Moroccan consumers don't accept small seedless watermelons, despite repeated trials by growers, to the point where the majority of consumers refuse them even if they are offered for free".
Mansour continues: "And secondly, one cannot replace a winning horse. Large-sized seeded watermelons are in great demand in Europe. I understand that growers are reluctant to make riskier choices, and I didn't start producing these new varieties on a whim, but after concluding a partnership with customers in Europe. Two years later, the experiment was a success".
Production conditions in Morocco are very well suited to the production of these new varieties coming from Spain, assures Mansour. "We started production in Zagora two years ago. The climate there is very favorable, with enough hours of sunshine per day and excellent soil quality. But we had to move production to Guelmim because of water stress in Zagora. And in Guelmim again, conditions are excellent, offering a yield of 40 tonnes per hectare."
"I'd even say that seedless watermelons from Morocco are better than those from Spain, for a very simple reason. Spanish seedless watermelons are produced in greenhouses, whereas in Morocco the climatic conditions allow them to be grown in open fields, which means better photosynthesis, and therefore better taste. Our European customers have testified that Moroccan quality is much better than that of Spain, Italy, or Portugal."
On the commercial side, the producer reports success for the second season running. "We're in a comfortable position," he says, "because we export under contract. The first year we exported to Germany, and this year we introduced the UK market. We had a production surplus this year, thanks to better yields in Guelmim than in Zagora for the same agricultural operations, and we tried to liquidate this surplus on the local Moroccan market without success. In terms of export prices, we have aligned our offer with that of Spain, and we have obtained the same price level."
Will Morocco be able to compete in this watermelon segment? "It's hard to say," Mansour admits. "Moroccan producers have the capacity to impose themselves and change the market situation. But for that to happen, more growers need to adopt these new varieties. European demand for them is high and outstrips that for traditional Moroccan large-caliber watermelons, which are mainly consumed by the Moroccan, Arab, and Turkish diaspora in Europe. Prices are also higher for the round seedless watermelons."
Mansour concludes: "We'll see in the coming years how this unfolds at the national level. At Universal Peppers, we will continue to build on our position and increase our acreage from 13 ha this season to 20 ha next one. We're confident in the future and the excellence of Moroccan agriculture. Twenty years ago, my father was the first to introduce a kappy pepper variety that is now one of the most widely produced in Morocco, and I hope to accomplish the same achievement with watermelons."
