| Fruits |
Vegetables
|
Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus / Cucurbitaceae
The watermelon was first cultivated in Africa, from where it spread to Europe, the Near East and India. Later on, it was introduced in China and America.
There are two hypotheses on the origin of watermelons. The first states that this species comes from wild populations of Africa, whereas different research claims that it is original from a species of Cucurbitaceae that grows wild in the valley of the Nile. It was first cultivated, most probably, in Africa, from where it spread to the Mediterranean, the Near East and India. There are few registries of this species until the XVIth century, but from that time onwards it begins to be popular. The watermelon was introduced in America with the conquest of the New World.
At present, Asia is the continent with a larger watermelon production, more than 80% of the world-wide production. Africa, Europe and North America have similar productions, around 3-4 million annual tons.
Source: FAO Production Yearbook, 2000
By countries, the main producer is China, meaning 60% of the total production. It is followed by Turkey, Iran, the United States and Egypt. The following table shows the 10 countries with larger watermelon cultivation.
Source: FAO Production Yearbook, 2000
Concerning exports, Mexico, Spain, Greece, the United States and Hungary are the main countries, with more than 100,000 annual tons.
Source: FAO Trade Yearbook, 2000
The following table includes the 10 main world importers of watermelon. The first one are the United States, followed by Germany, Canada and Poland.
Source: FAO Trade Yearbook, 2000
There are two hypotheses on the origin of watermelons. The first states that this species comes from wild populations of Africa, whereas different research claims that it is original from a species of Cucurbitaceae that grows wild in the valley of the Nile. It was first cultivated, most probably, in Africa, from where it spread to the Mediterranean, the Near East and India. There are few registries of this species until the XVIth century, but from that time onwards it begins to be popular. The watermelon was introduced in America with the conquest of the New World.
At present, Asia is the continent with a larger watermelon production, more than 80% of the world-wide production. Africa, Europe and North America have similar productions, around 3-4 million annual tons.
| Continent | Tons | % |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 3,149,710 | 5 |
| Asia | 51,833,541 | 82 |
| Europe | 3,786,867 | 6 |
| North America | 2,994,286 | 5 |
| South America | 1,346,164 | 2 |
| Oceania | 75,208 | - |
| Total | 63,185,776 | 100 |
Source: FAO Production Yearbook, 2000
By countries, the main producer is China, meaning 60% of the total production. It is followed by Turkey, Iran, the United States and Egypt. The following table shows the 10 countries with larger watermelon cultivation.
| Country | Tons |
|---|---|
| China | 38,382,286 |
| Turkey | 3,925,000 |
| Iran | 2,300,000 |
| The United States | 1,874,500 |
| Egypt | 1,506,960 |
| Mexico | 992,722 |
| Korea | 936,658 |
| Kazakstan | 901,600 |
| Spain | 729,800 |
| Greece | 650,000 |
Source: FAO Production Yearbook, 2000
Concerning exports, Mexico, Spain, Greece, the United States and Hungary are the main countries, with more than 100,000 annual tons.
| Country | Tons |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 260,817 |
| Spain | 225,765 |
| Greece | 202,717 |
| The United States | 147,376 |
| Hungary | 121,475 |
| Malaysia | 98,635 |
| Italy | 96,462 |
| Singapore | 44,398 |
| China | 35,928 |
| Kazakstan | 26,974 |
Source: FAO Trade Yearbook, 2000
The following table includes the 10 main world importers of watermelon. The first one are the United States, followed by Germany, Canada and Poland.
| Country | Tons |
|---|---|
| The United States | 218,456 |
| Germany | 168,928 |
| Canada | 146,792 |
| Poland | 101,325 |
| China | 95,835 |
| Singapore | 92,081 |
| Italy | 88,428 |
| France | 78,265 |
| Arab Emirates | 70,000 |
| Czech Republic | 60,996 |
Source: FAO Trade Yearbook, 2000
| Interempresas Media, S.L. / 2024 | [ Legal notice | Política de Protección de Datos | Política de cookies | Publicidad] |