According to Agreste, "As of July 1, 2023, the first estimates of melon planted areas for the 2023 campaign are 12,470 ha, down 1% over one year and 5% on average for 2018-2022. Output, estimated at 273,370 tonnes, is down 8%, yet 2% higher than the 2018-2022 average. The drop in harvests is supported by a rise in imports (+3% over the first 5 months of 2023). Due to changing weather conditions, with insufficient supply at the start of the campaign, prices remain very high (64% higher in June than in 2022, and 30% higher than the 2018-2022 average)."

Major drop in national production, except for Central-Western France
According to estimates published on July 1, 2023, the area dedicated to melon cultivation (12,470 ha) for the 2023 campaign is down 1% year-on-year. The decline is likely to be most significant in the South-West basin (-2%). On a national scale, the decline is more pronounced in greenhouse areas (-4%). Melon harvests for the 2023 campaign are expected to reach 273,370 tonnes, down 8% on 2022. Compared to the 2018-2022 average, crops are expected to be higher (+2%), due to higher yields, mainly due to the presence of larger sizes. The campaign got off to an early start in the South-East basin, about ten days earlier than in 2022 due to warm spring temperatures.

However, in this basin and the South-West basin, the weather proved to be unpredictable (lack of sunshine and frequent thunderstorms), impacting yields with a deterioration of the sanitary situation of melons (powdery mildew and downy mildew) and leading to a production slump. In the Centre-West, after 3 years of decline, the area surfaces are increasing slightly. A favorable weather forecast in May-June accelerated the vegetative development, but rainy episodes complicated the situation in June. However, in the end, production is expected to increase by 5% year-on-year, while remaining
well below the 2018-2022 average.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com