Top Watermelon Producing Countries In The World

Watermelon is a nutrient-rich food full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It also contains niacin, thiamin, vitamin B-6, zinc, magnesium and many more nutrients. There are many health benefits to watermelon as it is low in calories so it promotes phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidants essential for the optimization of health.

Watermelons are usually cultivated out of hybrid varieties of seeds. They need rich, deep soils with little moisture. Watermelons have shallow roots that can be easily disturbed. There are many varieties of watermelon including the Sugar baby, Sangria, Starlight, Jubilee, Starbrite, and many more. China is by far the world's largest producer of watermelon, followed by Turkey and Iran.

World's Largest Producers of Watermelon

China - 79.2 Million Tons

In China, the majority of Watermelon is produced in the Gansu province, where the climate is favorable for its cultivation. The fruit produced here is of excellent quality because of the special type of climate of the region. The area has maximum sunlight and the precipitation in the area is minimal at 40-538 millimeters in the most important production areas. In the season of watermelon, the temperature ranges from 12 to 16 degrees Celsius. The cultivation technology used in the area is sowing into the open field. In other areas, tunnel production and seedling transplanting are used in production.

Turkey - 3.9 Million Tons

In Turkey, the fruit is mostly produced in the Antalya’s Manavgat District. The district is so well-known for its watermelon production that it hosts a watermelon festival every year. The fruit also has an important place in the country from economical point of view as 10% of total production comes from Turkey.

Iran - 2.8 Million Tons

In Iran, watermelon is produced in the Hamadan province, and the production covers nearly 1.2% of total area of this particular province. The energy usage in the production was direct and indirect and the farmers use renewable and non-renewable energy. The seeding, chemical fertilizers, modern technology, and spraying are used for its production.

Import and Export Channels for Watermelon

The exports from top countries are directed to such countries as Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates, and Nepal. Other importing countries are Netherlands, Germany, Maldives, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. In the year of 2005, it was reported that 2.2 million metric tons of watermelon were exported and 2.0 million metric tons were imported into this lucrative fruit market.