By LUKE FIELD
The Country That Makes The Most Watermelon In The World
The United States grew 1.7 million tons of watermelon in 2021, which is impressive but is a drop in the bucket compared to the world's leading producer and consumer.
China is a watermelon powerhouse, producing 67.2 million tons of the fruit in 2021. No other country comes close, with Turkey being the nearest competitor with 3.9 million tons.
Watermelon is harvested throughout China, but a lot of the farming is in the Gansu province, where the sunny climate has perfect growing conditions for the fruit.
In 2020, China's per capita consumption was 108 pounds. With the average weight of each watermelon topping 20-25 pounds, that’s four to five whole watermelons annually per person.
Watermelon was introduced to China in the 10th century as an exotic, luxurious fruit. Today, it represents prosperity and luck to many and is a part of holidays and many dishes.