To Market: A juicy watermelon is summer's refresher

Sizzling weather calls for watermelon's cooling succulence.

Though most commercially grown Florida watermelon has long since been harvested, the fruit still is in season elsewhere and is being shipped to our markets from other states.

Florida is the nation's leading grower, producing 744-million pounds of watermelon last year. California, Texas and Georgia typically follow in volume, but watermelon is grown in most states across the country, with the nation producing more than 4-billion pounds a year.

These days quite a bit of that fruit is being sold precut to busy consumers.

"Convenience is quite a big factor, we found, and they have responded to seedless (watermelon) with exuberance," said Samantha Winters, director of communications for the National Watermelon Promotion Board in Orlando.

But melons with seeds have not lost their popularity.

"Typically, seeded melons are larger, so many consumers see that as a great value for a party or a picnic. There are a lot of people who like to carve them into baskets, whether it is a baby basket for a baby shower or a heart basket for a wedding," Winters said.

Winters also touts watermelon's healthfulness and versatility.

"A lot of people eat watermelon for breakfast. We also think of watermelon as a great after-school treat. It's a great way for children to get the energy they need" as they head for afternoon sports, she said.

"Watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C," she said, adding that it also has an abundance of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps fight such diseases as cancer and heart disease.

Another favorite, blueberries, also is in markets this month. At Bodtke Farms in Grand Junction, Mich., the blueberry harvest has been "pretty good," said Larry Bodtke, a partner in the family operation.

The farm is part of the 350-member blueberry cooperative called MBG Marketing, which includes growers from Michigan, Indiana, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. The cooperative also is part of a group of marketers based in Naples, Global Berry Farms.

"We will ship and market blueberries right on to mid October," said Bodtke, adding that the fruit is stored in a controlled atmosphere.

For the most part, harvesting vegetables and fruit in Florida is over until fall. This month, however, Florida okra and tropical specialties such as avocados, carambola, limes and mangoes will be available. Watermelons will show up again this year when some growers enjoy another harvest.

Les Harrison of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services sums up August: "It's the time of year when the trucks are flowing into Florida, not out of Florida, with fresh product."

Produce

In season are apples, apricots, beans, blueberries, cabbage, cherries, corn, cucumbers, grapes, mangoes, okra, peaches, peppers, plums, summer squash, tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydews, nectarines and pears.

Seafood

Florida lobster season opened Tuesday. Imported shrimp continues to be a bargain, and grouper prices are likely to be quite reasonable this month.

What may be good news for shoppers, though, is not necessarily welcome to merchants such as Steve Cox, president and owner of Cox's Wholesale Seafood Inc. in Tampa.

Ninety-five percent of the family business is shrimp, Cox said. His brother Richard owns and operates Cox's Seafood Market in Tampa. Cox's Seafood in Tarpon Springs is owned and run by brother John.

"We are probably one of the two or three largest domestic processors for supermarket chains in the country. We handle a lot of boats that fish from the Gulf of Mexico," Steve Cox said.

Those boats bring in Key West pink shrimp, he said, considered "a premium quality shrimp across the nation."

During the past few years, large quantities of inexpensive, farm-raised shrimp have been coming into the country from Thailand, China, Vietnam and India, Cox said. The imports have had a detrimental effect on the domestic shrimp market, he said.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is getting ready to offer assistance, said John Easley, a development representative with the department's bureau of seafood and aquaculture marketing.

"We've had meetings with Steve, and we are actually embarking on a pink shrimp promotion" to increase consumer awareness, Easley said. The bureau is preparing generic billboards, recipe brochures and radio spots.

Those bored with shrimp can turn to Florida lobster, now in season.

"Floridians prefer our lobsters to Maine lobsters," said Gib Migliano of St. Petersburg's Save on Seafood.

Prices may be high at the beginning of the season, but "two or three weeks into it, that's when you get a better value," Migliano said.

Whole Florida lobsters will cost about $6.99 a pound, and tails will cost about $20, he said.

August will be a good time to buy grouper, Migliano said.

"We should have some good catches of grouper, if we don't have a storm," he said, adding that restaurants, usually big customers for the popular fish, typically are slow this month.

Prices for grouper fillets will be around $7 to $8.99 a pound, Migliano said.

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