Where Your Watermelon Really Comes From (And Why It Matters)

Watermelon season spans from May through September. But, the fruit really peaks during July and August, when the top watermelon-growing states in the U.S. — Florida, Georgia (home of the self proclaimed "watermelon capital of the world"), Texas, and California — come together to produce the best of the best. Yet, while U.S. consumption of the fruit has been steadily increasing, the acreage to grow them has been decreasing to less than 50% less of what it was in the 1990s. Although farmers have found ways to maintain production levels, they're still unable to meet domestic demand — even if the U.S. isn't the country that eats the most watermelon. 

Watermelons depend on a long growing season and consistently warm temperature.  That said, because you can find watermelons at the store year round, this means that a growing number of melons sold in the U.S. also come from countries like Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, with imports accounting for more than a third of the country's supply in 2021. While the remaining fraction of watermelons are grown domestically, the quantity produced has not increased enough to match the amount that Americans are eating. Since primary growing regions are located in the south, most of what the rest of the country consumes is actually a mix of both domestic and imported watermelons.

Now, you might be reading this thinking and wondering why it matters where your watermelons are coming from. The reason why origin is so important is that it relates directly to the quality and the flavor of the melons. Like other fruits and vegetables, you should know that you'll almost always find the best-tasting produce at farmers market – but, why?

Shipped all the way from the West Coast or Mexico to regions in the Midwest and the East Coast, watermelons must be picked well before they're ripe in order to withstand the long distance travel whenever they're exported. Since they're one fruit that doesn't continue to mature after being picked, this means more unripe melons end up in stores. This risk of immature fruit is especially high during the off-season or in regions that don't grow melons locally. Hence, why knowing how to pick a good watermelon at the store is also so important.