At the height of summer, when melon is the symbol of the season, BCR, together with BCR Social Finance, brings to the fore the need for investment, co-operation and public policies to protect local identity in agriculture. Romania, the fifth-largest producer of melons in the European Union, has lost about two thirds (65%) of its domestic melon production in the last six years, according to INS data, from around 584,000 tonnes in 2018 to less than 200,000 tonnes in recent years.
With the message “The most important conversation IS ALSO about melons”, BCR is opening a strategic dialogue about supporting the rural economy and transforming local identity in agriculture into real economic capital. The bank already provides small producers with financial expertise and business education, customised solutions and flexible microcredit through BCR Social Finance, the group’s non-bank financial institution, supported by the Erste Foundation, which contributes to the sustainable development of rural communities.
“We need to open real conversations about the role of the economy in the life of communities, about supporting local producers and how we build trust between people, institutions and markets. We have anchored ourselves in the melmelon season, but also in the fact that in Dăbuleni, producers know the value of their labour, but also the fragility of the sector in which they operate. For BCR, trust starts with listening to people and understanding what really helps them grow. That’s why this summer the most important conversation IS ALSO about melons, about raising awareness of the effort, costs and challenges behind a fruit so beloved by Romanians,” said Nicoleta Deliu-Pașol, Director of Communications & CSR, BCR.
“The evolution of the melon market shows how a competitive advantage can be lost if the local value chain is not supported. We have tradition, favourable soils and climate, but without branding, cooperation and investment, this potential is diluted. BCR Social Finance is the partner of local producers and small-scale agriculture, but we want our impact to go beyond financing, putting on the public agenda the role of local identity in Romania’s economic development”, added Ștefan Buciuc, CEO of BCR Social Finance.
Key facts about the watermelon market in Romania
- National melon production has fallen from 584,000 tonnes in 2018 to 157,300 tonnes in 2024, while domestic consumption remains stable at around 370,000 tonnes, meaning that almost half of the melons we consume are imported.
- Romania pays more than €24 million annually on melon imports (from Greece, Germany, Turkey, the Netherlands and Bulgaria), while exports are only €3 million (Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Moldova and the Netherlands).
- The cultivated area has shrunk from 22,000 hectares in 2018 to 10,200 hectares in 2024, and many farmers have given up growing melons due to high costs, lack of infrastructure and climate change.
1 in 6 melons is from Dăbuleni
The town of Dăbuleni, in Dolj county, produces 1 in 6 melons consumed in Romania and contributes about 16% of the total national production, thanks to the sandy soil and warm climate, which allow early harvesting. However, local farmers face major challenges:
- The cultivated area in Dăbuleni has decreased in the last decade from 1,400 ha to less than 900 ha.
- Yields are increasingly affected by extreme weather, hail, drought and lack of modern irrigation, reaching in difficult years less than 90 tonnes/ha, compared to the maximum potential of 110 tonnes/ha.
- For an optimal yield, melon crops require 4,000-5,000 m³ of water/ha, which is difficult to provide in the absence of irrigation infrastructure.
The BCR Social Finance unit in Dăbuleni supports the local community through microcredit, financial expertise and counselling tailored to the needs of producers, contributing to maintaining agricultural competitiveness and the prosperity of the region. Currently, the unit in Dăbuleni serves over 300 active clients, and in the last three years alone (2022-2024), the financing provided here has exceeded RON 26 million.
The BCR mobile bank was also stationed in Dăbuleni from 1-11 July, offering easy access to financial services and products, general and life insurance, financial education and technology. The mobile bank is part of BCR’s programme of financial inclusion of local communities and started its route through Romania in October 2022, with the mission to reach as many localities as possible in the country. BCR currently operates two mobile units, which together have travelled around 12,000 kilometres and visited 29 communities.