Food - Drink

The Region That Grows Over Half The World’s Melons

By ELIAS NASH

With over $27 billion in market revenue in 2018 alone, melons are ranked highly as one of the world’s favorite fruits, and the average American eats about 24 lbs of melon each year. This versatile fruit's origins aren't known for sure, but today, we do know which region of the world produces the most melons.

Images of melons in early Egyptian paintings, as well as an optimal climate for melon growth, has led researchers to believe this fruit's original location of cultivation was Northeast Africa. Today, the main global production of melons comes from Asia, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Asia owns about 69% of the world's total melon production, with China at the forefront, producing 14 million metric tons of melons in 2020 alone, while its citizens consume about 17 million tons. Japan is also home to some of the most expensive melons in the world, such as the Yubari King melon, which can cost hundreds of dollars per fruit.

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