The Country That Produces And Eats The Most Watermelon In The World

Taking a bite of watermelon is a sure sign that summer has arrived. Whether it's being enjoyed on its own or it's tossed in the middle of a fruit salad, this sweet, healthy, red-tinged fruit is gobbled up with gusto each year. While the United States produces more than three billion pounds of watermelon each year — and the average American consumes more than 10 pounds each year — China produces and consumes the most watermelon by a wide margin. According to the World Population Review, China comfortably led the world in watermelon production in 2022, producing 60.4 million tons of watermelon — more than 20 times that of the country in second place, Turkey. 

Driven by consumer demand, favorable growing conditions, and a suitable climate, the Chinese produce high volumes of watermelon each year, devoting around 2.5 million acres to cultivating the sweet red fruit. Watermelons are grown in various regions of China, including the Gansu Province, which is known for producing high-quality watermelon, and Inner Mongolia, another high-production watermelon region known for its giant melons. With watermelon available in so many regions of the country, the fruit is highly affordable and enjoyed in slices, as a juice, and cubed, especially during the heat of summer.

So how did China — a worldwide leader in manufacturing and renewable energy — become the world's largest watermelon producer? For one thing, watermelon is a big part of the country's history. Growing and eating the sweet fruit goes back centuries in China. First enjoyed by royalty, it eventually became a staple of the common person's diet and has served as an inspiration in Chinese poetry and the source of the Chinese phrase "watermelon-eating people," which refers to passive or uninformed participants in online discussions.

In modern times, China continues to be a leader in watermelon production and consumption by being innovative. Generations have worked tirelessly at watermelon breeding, creating an unexpectedly massive amount of watermelon varieties, including Unicorn, Sweet King, and Ice Cream, which has allowed for larger crop production yields and a year-round growing season. The dedication to breeding and production has also produced more flavorful and sweeter watermelons. 

The arrival of bountiful watermelon is welcomed each summer at regional festivals as residents enjoy the fruit as both a sweet treat and a way to cool off. While watermelon can be enjoyed in flavorful cocktails like the watermelon Mojito, added to fruit salads, and eaten in other unique ways, the Chinese make creative use of the fruit by enjoying it in stir fry, as an ingredient in ketchup, as a flavor infuser in drinks, and in sweet treats like ice cream, making it a highly anticipated part of every summer.