New season rockmelons have started out of Carnarvon however the quality is ordinary at best and the price is high. Carnarvon is experiencing above normal activity of Aphids and their disease is spreading far and wide through crops of all types. These sap sucking insects reduce the total plant vigour, and the production and fruit quality suffers. Their feeding distorts the new growth affecting the leaves, flowers and fruit. The fruit ripens prematurely and it doesn’t get proper natural sugar levels. From early December the newer crops will look better as the disease tends not to take to plants through the warmer planting months.
Geraldton crops are only a little way off with no sign of disease and Odeum Farm’s Gin Gin crops are only a few weeks from picking. Overall, there should be an increase in supply over the next couple of weeks with the price moving to a more reasonable level.