Washington watermelon coming on for Keystone Fruit Marketing

Summer is watermelon’s time to shine, and the 2021 Washington-grown watermelon season is shaping up nicely for Keystone Fruit Marketing, a division of Progressive Produce. 

“The Northwest has had a mild to warm spring, which provided ideal conditions for our transplants to get a jump on vine growth and first fruit sets in early June,” said Shawn Riker, Sales & Commodity Manager. “As a result, we’re starting our season again during the first full week of July, which is consistent with historical norms.” 

The Northwest and Western Canada see surges of demand in the summer months for 1st of month sales.

“There was a big push for Canada Day on July 1st, and the 4th of July. Then we’ll see a lull as volume pulls through… and similar pushes again for August 1st and Labor Day,” added Riker. “We like to encourage promotions as a local crop around mid-July and push for these first of month(s) promos that align with our peak production during late July and early August.”  

Keystone’s seedless and seeded watermelons, offered in bins and cartons, are available until late September.