Watermelon Crops Had a Strong Year in 2021
April 6, 2022 Consumers’ love of watermelons shows no signs of slowing down. More than half of grocery store shoppers bought watermelon last year, according to Fresh Trends 2021. Not only did U.S. production increase in 2021, imports skyrocketed.
USDA ERS (Economic Research Service) reports watermelon import values rose to $21.9 million from 2020’s $13.2 million. With high shipping costs and import issues, 2022 promises to be a particularly strong year for U.S. watermelon growers.
Watermelon Production Rose in 2021
Watermelon production saw a significant increase in 2021. Not only did a quarter of watermelon growers increase production, 14% of all watermelon growers added the crop, according to American Vegetable Grower’s 2021 State of Vegetable Industry Survey.
Watermelon Growers’ Prices Stronger Compared to Peers
In 2021, 64% of watermelon growers reported their crop prices were higher than they were 10 years previous. In comparison, only 49% of operations who do not produce watermelon could make the same claim. These stats refer to all crop prices overall, not just watermelons.
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