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Watermelons: An Economic Perspective 

Next time you feel the need to quench your thirst, consider a fruit that is healthy, delicious and contains 92% water. That is correct! I am talking about watermelons. With watermelon season around the corner and rising hot temperatures, the demand for this fruit is rapidly increasing and the entire supply chain better be ready for it. Watermelons are an important part of our economy. The United States ranks fifth in the production of watermelons globally with 492 million dollars in production and over 4.1 billion pounds of watermelon harvested in the year 2010. Taking this a step further, Florida is the top producer of watermelons in the country closely followed by California, Texas, Georgia and Arizona. These four states provide the necessary arid conditions for plantation where at least 16 different varieties of watermelon are cultivated every year.

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