Watermelon price in the US remains high in anticipation of the domestic harvest

Published Mar 27, 2024

Tridge summary

In the United States, watermelon consumption has seen a notable increase, with per capita consumption rising to nearly 16.9 pounds in 2023 from 15.5 pounds the previous year. This growth is largely due to increased awareness of the fruit's health benefits and its versatility in use. The majority of watermelons in the U.S. are imported from Mexico and Central America, with Mexico being the largest supplier. Despite challenges such as adverse weather affecting Mexican production and potential cold weather risks to the domestic crop, a good harvest is anticipated. The U.S. melon market is on a trajectory to expand to $1.19 billion by 2030, fueled by consumer demand for healthy food options and innovative marketing strategies. However, rising production costs have led to higher watermelon prices, although strong prices are expected to persist with the onset of the domestic supply.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Watermelon consumption in the United States is on the rise, a trend attributed to growing awareness of its health benefits and multifaceted use. Mark Arney, executive director of the National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB), says per capita watermelon consumption in the United States reached nearly 16.9 pounds in 2023. "That's an increase of 15.5 pounds in 2022, which is really good," Arney said. The United States currently imports watermelon from Mexico and Central America, but supply has been tight, Arney says, due to adverse weather resulting in lower volumes from Mexico. Mexico represents 60% of the total quota of watermelons imported to the US, followed by Guatemala with 34.8%, according to the USDA. As for the US season, which is expected to start in mid-to-late April, Arney told FreshFruitPortal.com that it is still difficult to say when domestic supplies will enter the market. "There's been some cold weather in Central Florida, nothing to hurt the crop," Arney said. "In ...

Source: MXfruit