How to import melons and watermelons from Morocco

At a glance

Season	Melon: March to July, peak April–June · Watermelon: April to July, peak May–June (2025/26 season)
Regions	Haouz (Marrakech), Souss-Massa (Agadir) and Drâa (Zagora)
Varieties	Galia and Cantaloupe (Charentais) melon · Seedless red-fleshed watermelon and mini watermelon
Sizes	Melon 4–9 pieces per box · Watermelon 3–8 kg per piece
Packing	Melon: 5-piece box · 6 kg, about 120 boxes per pallet · Watermelon: 3-piece box · 15 kg (about 48 per pallet) or palox
Temperature and humidity	Melon 7–10 °C, 85–90 % RH · Watermelon 10–15 °C, 85–90 % RH
Shelf life	Melon 1–2 weeks · Watermelon 2–3 weeks at transport temperature
Transit time	Spain 2–3 days · France 3–4 days · Germany 4–5 days from loading
Loading	Agadir and Marrakech, crossing Tanger Med → Algeciras
Minimum order	1 pallet on a shared truck; full load from 26–33 pallets
Usual Incoterm	FCA origin or DAP destination
Documents	Phytosanitary certificate, EUR.1, invoice, packing list, CHED-PP in TRACES

Melon and watermelon season calendar from Morocco

Morocco opens the European melon and watermelon season. It arrives before Almería and Murcia and covers spring, when demand rises with the heat. By July, Spanish produce takes over. Indicative data for the 2025/26 season:

Month	Melon	Watermelon	Agronomic reason
January–February	No exports	No exports	Sowing and transplanting under tunnel or netting; cold nights slow growth.
March	Start	No exports	First greenhouse melons from Souss and Haouz, with low volumes and small sizes.
April	Peak	Start	Long days and inland heat raise the sugar content. First watermelons from the Drâa valleys.
May	Peak	Peak	Maximum volume for both species. Large sizes and stable °Brix.
June	Peak	Peak	Open-field harvest in Haouz; the heat requires early harvesting and quick cooling.
July	End	End	High temperatures shorten shelf life and Spanish production arrives.
August–February	No exports	No exports	Out of season for truck exports.

If you need fixed volume in May and June, book before March.

Growing regions and varieties of melon and watermelon

Each region brings a different window. Together they cover March to July. You can see all of them on the map of regions of origin for Moroccan fruit.

Souss-Massa (Agadir)

Greenhouses and tunnels between the Atlas and the Atlantic. This area gives the first melons of March and April. We load in Agadir.

Haouz (Marrakech)

Warm inland plains. It is the key area for peak-season melon (April–June) and also produces watermelon. We load in Marrakech.

Drâa (Zagora)

Valleys on the edge of the desert. They provide the first watermelons of spring, with plenty of sun and mild nights. Consolidated in Marrakech or Agadir.

Varieties

Galia melon: yellow netted skin and green flesh, aromatic. Sizes from 4 to 9 pieces per box.
Cantaloupe (Charentais): orange flesh, very aromatic and short-lived. Much in demand in France.
Seedless red-fleshed watermelon: pieces of 3 to 8 kg, in boxes or palox.

Origin and labelling

The Court of Justice of the EU ruled on 4 October 2024 (case C-399/22, accessed 18/10/2026) that melons and tomatoes harvested in Western Sahara must be labelled with that territory as origin, not Morocco. Our melons and watermelons come from the regions listed above; always ask for the exact origin of each lot if you buy from other suppliers.

Product pages: Galia and Cantaloupe melon from Morocco, wholesale and seedless watermelon from Morocco, wholesale.

EU import requirements for melons and watermelons

Melon and watermelon have no special regime, but each lot must meet plant health, origin, residue and marketing rules. All data was checked on 18/10/2026 against its official source. For the general framework, see the guide to importing fruit and vegetables into the EU.

1. Phytosanitary certificate

All fresh fruit from third countries needs a phytosanitary certificate, except pineapple, coconut, durian, banana and date (Annex XI, part C, of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, accessed 18/10/2026). Melon and watermelon are not exempt. It is issued by ONSSA after inspecting the lot.

2. Border control: CHED-PP in TRACES

The lot is pre-notified in TRACES with a CHED-PP before arrival at the border control post in Algeciras or Almería.

3. Preferential origin: EUR.1

Melon and watermelon grown in Morocco are wholly obtained products. With an EUR.1 certificate (or an origin declaration by an approved exporter) they enter with the preference of the EU–Morocco Association Agreement and its agricultural protocol (Decision 2012/497/EU, accessed 18/10/2026). CN codes: 0807 19 00 (melon) and 0807 11 00 (watermelon). Always check in Access2Markets.

4. Quotas and entry price

Melon and watermelon are not in the EU entry price system, which affects tomato, cucumber, courgette, citrus and other products.

5. MRLs for plant protection products

Maximum residue levels are set by Regulation (EC) 396/2005 and are checked in the EU pesticides database (accessed 18/10/2026). Request multi-residue analysis of each plot or lot, especially for greenhouse melon.

6. Marketing standards

Since 1 January 2025, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/2429 applies (accessed 18/10/2026). Melon and watermelon have no specific standard: the general standard applies (whole, sound, clean fruit, sufficiently ripe) together with the indication of the country of origin. Export conformity is checked by EACCE.

Logistics: temperature, ethylene and shipping options

Melon and watermelon travel in our cool lane, but not at the same temperature or with the same handling.

Product	Temperature	Ethylene	Main risk
Galia / Cantaloupe melon	7–10 °C	High output	Over-ripening and rot if the cold chain is broken.
Watermelon	10–15 °C	Sensitive	Chilling injury below 10 °C; loss of firmness and colour with ethylene.

Compatibility in mixed loads

Melon with watermelon: on the same truck only on separate pallets and with ventilation; melon ethylene softens watermelon.
Watermelon with tomato: compatible temperature (10–13 °C). A common combination in spring. See how to import tomatoes from Morocco.
Melon with avocado: similar temperature, but avocado is sensitive to ethylene, so they are loaded separately. See how to import Hass avocados from Morocco.
Incompatible: green beans, soft fruit, cucumber and leafy vegetables (different temperature, or very sensitive to ethylene).

Which shipment to choose

Volume	Option	When it makes sense
1–10 pallets	Weekly shared truck	Trialling the product, or completing a spring range with tomato or pepper.
26–33 pallets	Full load	Weekly retail programmes, especially watermelon in palox.
Reefer container	Mixed container by sea	Watermelon to northern Europe with flexible timelines. Not recommended for Cantaloupe because of its short life.

Watermelon weighs a lot per pallet and yields little per kilo. That is why transport cost matters more than for other fruit, and it pays to fill the truck or combine it with higher-value produce. Indicative transit: Madrid, Valencia or Lisbon in 2–3 days; Perpignan, Marseille, Lyon or Paris in 3–4; Milan, Munich, Frankfurt or Rotterdam in 4–5.

Quality control of melons and watermelons at origin

We check each pallet before loading. Details of the protocol are at quality control at origin.

What we check on melon

°Brix: refractometer on a sample from each lot; it is the figure that decides whether the melon sells well.
Harvest stage: ground colour, netting and stalk slip.
Size: pieces per box and uniformity.
Defects: cracks, bruises, spots, softening around the stalk.
Pulp temperature: 7–10 °C at loading, after pre-cooling.

What we check on watermelon

Sample cut: flesh colour, °Brix, no hollow heart and no seeds in the seedless ones.
Weight: agreed kilo range per piece.
Skin: sunburn, abrasions, excessive soil stains.
Palox and boxes: pallet stability; one broken watermelon contaminates the rest.

What the buyer receives

A report per lot with photos of boxes or palox, cut fruit, °Brix and pulp temperature readings, and the temperature recorder number. It arrives before the truck crosses the Strait, so you can reject or reassign a lot in time.

Costs and price of melons and watermelons from Morocco

Melon and watermelon prices change a lot between March and July: high at the start, falling when Spanish volume arrives. We do not publish fixed figures. You can see this week’s offer in fruit prices from Morocco, wholesale.

Component	Melon	Watermelon
Product at farm	The largest block	Medium block; low price per kilo
Packing	Medium block (box, selection, label)	Low in palox, medium in boxes
Refrigerated transport	Medium block	Large block because of weight and low value
Strait crossing	Small block	Small block
Customs and controls	Small block	Small block

For watermelon, transport can weigh as much as the product. Full loads, or combining with tomato or melon, help lower the cost per kilo. Request a quote for your destination via contact.

Common mistakes when importing melons and watermelons from Morocco

Buying without a °Brix figure. A melon picked green does not gain sugar afterwards; it only softens.
Shipping watermelon at melon temperature. Below 10 °C chilling injury appears: spots on the skin and mealy flesh.
Loading melon next to watermelon or avocado. Its ethylene softens the watermelon and ripens the avocado en route.
Ordering Cantaloupe for distant destinations without shortening timelines. Its shelf life is short; for Germany or the Netherlands, Galia is better.
Not checking origin labelling. Following ruling C-399/22, produce from Western Sahara cannot be labelled “Morocco”.
Underestimating transport cost on watermelon. A loose watermelon pallet on a shared truck is expensive per kilo.
Forgetting the CHED-PP pre-notification. Without it the lot is held in Algeciras.

Frequently asked questions about importing melons from Morocco

When is melon available from Morocco?

From March to July, with the peak between April and June. The first melons come from the Souss greenhouses; peak volume comes from Haouz.

When is watermelon available from Morocco?

From April to July, with the peak in May and June. The first arrive from the Drâa valleys, before Spanish watermelon.

What is the minimum order?

One pallet on our weekly shared truck: about 120 boxes of 6 kg melon or about 48 boxes of 15 kg watermelon. For watermelon in palox, a full load is advisable.

Can melon and watermelon travel on the same truck?

Yes, but on separate pallets and with ventilation. Melon gives off ethylene and watermelon is sensitive to it, and they need different temperatures.

What documents do I need?

ONSSA phytosanitary certificate, EUR.1 proof of origin, commercial invoice, packing list and the CHED-PP pre-notification in TRACES. We coordinate customs clearance in Algeciras.

What °Brix does Moroccan melon have?

We measure it on each lot and include it in the quality report. The market reference is the UNECE FFV-23 standard; agree the minimum with us before ordering.

Are there duties or quotas for Moroccan melon?

With valid proof of origin the EU–Morocco agreement preference applies. Check the current duty for CN codes 0807 19 00 and 0807 11 00 in Access2Markets.

How long does melon last in transit?

Between 1 and 2 weeks at 7–10 °C; Cantaloupe less. Watermelon lasts 2–3 weeks at 10–15 °C.

Add melons to your truck

From one pallet, with quality control at origin and weekly departures, up to daily on demand.

Build your truck →Product page: Melons from Morocco

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