Melons are bought on two numbers: brix and count size. Everything else — netting, cavity, aroma — follows from harvesting at the right maturity, and that is where origins separate. The Egyptian cantaloupe export window runs March through July, opening weeks ahead of Spain and filling the European spring gap when Central American fruit is finishing and Mediterranean fruit has not started. Egyptian Galia joins the program on the same calendar.
PEIVANA, the flexible Egyptian exporter of the PEI Trade family, ships cantaloupe and Galia from Sokhna, Alexandria, Damietta and Port Said with a hard internal rule: no melon leaves the packhouse under 11° brix. This guide covers varieties, count sizes, packing and the timing logic importers should build programs around.
Varieties and Grades
- Cantaloupe (net melon): orange-flesh hybrids with dense, raised netting and small, dry cavity. The core of the export program.
- Galia: green-flesh, aromatic, yellow at maturity with fine netting — strong demand in the UK, Netherlands and Germany.
- Class 1: well-netted, uniform shape, clean abscission scar (full slip or clean-cut per market), no cracks, sunscald or soft shoulders.
- Class 2: minor netting or shape deviations — wholesale channels.
Sizes & Calibers — Count Sizing
Melons are sized by count per carton — the number of fruits filling a standard box. Egyptian export range runs counts 4 to 9:
| Count | Fruit weight | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1.6–2.0 kg | Wholesale, Gulf family size |
| 5 | 1.3–1.6 kg | Wholesale / retail |
| 6 | 1.1–1.3 kg | EU retail core size |
| 7–8 | 0.9–1.1 kg | EU/UK retail |
| 9 | 0.75–0.9 kg | UK small-format retail |
Packing Formats
| Format | Net weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Open-top carton, single layer | ~8 kg | Counts 4–9, paper interleaf |
| Telescopic carton | 10 kg | Sturdier for long transits |
| Plastic crate | 10–12 kg | Regional Gulf programs |
Standard loading is around 20 pallets per 40′ reefer at 2–5°C for cantaloupe and 5–7°C for Galia, with the exact setting agreed per varietal mix.
Season and Timing: March to July
Early tunnels open the window in March; open-field volume peaks April–June; the program closes in July as summer heat pushes brix up but shelf life down. The strategic value is the March–May slot — check it against the Egyptian produce seasons calendar to see how melons hand over to grapes and mango.
QC Checkpoints
- Brix minimum 11° — refractometer sampling per pallet; 12°+ typical at peak season.
- Maturity stage: ¾ to full slip for cantaloupe depending on transit length; Galia cut at color turn.
- Netting and scar check: clean, dry stem scar — the main mold entry point.
- Internal inspection: cut tests per lot for cavity condition and flesh firmness.
- Pre-cool within hours of harvest; melons load field-hot otherwise and arrive fermented.
Mixed-Container Fit
Melons are ethylene producers, so they mix best with tolerant partners — citrus tail-enders, onions, garlic — rather than leafy lines. Buyers taking 8–10 pallets of cantaloupe often complete the reefer through our mixed produce containers from Egypt program, and spring loads pair naturally with the Europe counter-season container. PEIVANA builds the compatibility plan for you — that is the point of a flexible exporter.
FAQ
What brix should I specify for Egyptian cantaloupe?
Specify minimum 11° brix at packing. At peak season (May–June) Egyptian fruit routinely tests 12–13°.
Which count size sells best in Europe?
Counts 6–8 dominate EU retail; Gulf buyers skew larger at counts 4–5.
How long is the shelf life on arrival?
Cantaloupe harvested at ¾ slip and held at 2–5°C gives 10–14 days from packing; Galia is shorter at 8–12 days — plan rotation accordingly.
Get a Melon Quotation
Specs live on the cantaloupes product page. Send counts, volumes and destination — we reply with a same-day quote. Contact PEIVANA or message us on WhatsApp.