MELON
Società Agricola C.O.P.A. produces on average between 1,500 and 2,000 tons of melon each year, in three different varieties: netted, semi-netted and Charentais.
PRODUCTION PERIOD
The production period of this delicious fruit begins in the first 10 days of May and lasts until the second week of September. During this time no less than 45-50 hectares of our members’ land is dedicated to melon cultivation. This starts in the glasshouse and in May the first fruits can be harvested. Cultivation then takes place under the protection of small tunnels with harvesting in June, finally continuing in open fields where the melons are harvested from July to September.
PRODUCTION
In the open fields, as soon as the melon plant has been transplanted it is covered with fleece, which is removed when the first female flowers form. This arrangement enables concurrent setting that allows Società Agricola C.O.P.A. to have melons with uniform size and weight.
To preserve the quality of the product, the melons are harvested every morning at first light and taken to the cooperative as soon as possible. During harvesting, samples are taken of the batches to measure the Brix grade by qualified technical staff with the help of instruments that use NIR technology. This allows subsequent processing and marketing on an equal basis, and the high quality of our melons to be maximized.
QUANTITIES
The producer members of Società Agricola C.O.P.A. succeed in producing on average 15 tons a day during the months of harvest, with peaks of 500 quintals, thereby satisfying the demand of their customers and always maintaining high product quality.
PACKING
The wonderful fragrance of ripe melons fills the air at the cooperative during the product processing stages. In the cooperative, the melons pass through the grading machine that allows sorting and grading. Divided by weight and size, the melons are subdivided into boxes that are marked and stored in refrigerated compartments awaiting dispatch. Our boxes are made from plastic, wood or cardboard.