The origin of melon is located, according to some botanists, in the south of Africa; other botanists think that it comes from Asia. This culture was introduced in the Mediterranean countries and America. At present, its culture is widely distributed
The world-wide production is around 19,000,000 tons and by continents the production of "cantaloup" melons and other types is as follows:
Continent | Thousand tons | % |
---|
Africa | 1,031 | 5 |
Asia | 12,790 | 66 |
Europe | 2,845 | 15 |
North America | 2,296 | 12 |
Oceania | 74 | - |
South America | 403 | 2 |
Total | 19,439 | 100 |
Source: Fresh Produce Desk Book (1999)
The countries with larger production of "
Cantaloup" melon and other types are China, Turkey, the United States and Spain. The ten main countries are:
Country | Tons |
---|
China | 6,406,384 |
Turkey | 1,800,000 |
The USA | 1,320,850 |
Spain | 1,100,000 |
Iran | 1,100,000 |
Rumania | 900,000 |
Egypt | 718,106 |
Morocco | 655,000 |
India | 640,000 |
Italy | 529,199 |
Source: FAO Production Yearbook (2000)
The main import countries of "
Cantaloup" and other types of melon are the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Country | Tons |
---|
USA | 702,689 |
United Kingdom | 150,000 |
Canada | 132,608 |
The Netherlands | 108,189 |
France | 101,749 |
Germany | 91,978 |
Belgium-Luxembourg | 46,617 |
Japan | 38,744 |
Portugal | 28,660 |
Italy | 23,364 |
Source: FAO Trade Yearbook (1999)
The following table shows the chief countries exporting melon:
Country | Tons |
---|
Spain | 326,195 |
México | 266,817 |
Iran | 172,889 |
USA | 160,959 |
Costa Rica | 160,000 |
Guatemala | 70,000 |
Brazil | 65,453 |
The Netherlands | 63,302 |
Honduras | 60,000 |
France | 47,360 |
Source: FAO Trade Yearbook (1999)
The leader of melon export at world-wide level is Spain, being the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the Netherlands the main destinies. For the N Hemisphere, Brazil is one of the main off-season suppliers.
Consequently, with the importance of Spain as an exporting country, melon is also one of the most important cultures in the country. The communities of Andalucía, Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia, Extremadura and Valencia stand out for a greater surface devoted to melon culture.
Area | Hectares | Tons |
---|
Andalucía | 12,058 | 335,000 |
Castilla-La Mancha | 15,156 | 237,000 |
Region of Murcia | 5,411 | 182,000 |
Extremadura | 4,453 | 79,000 |
Comunidad Valenciana | 7,040 | 44,000 |
Baleares | 1,191 | 29,000 |
Cataluña | 930 | 16,000 |
Castilla-León | 1,082 | 15,789 |
Total | 46,239 | 922,000 |
Source: La Horticultura Española (2001), SECH, Sociedad Española de Ciencias Hortícolas.