Watermelon Market Data, Grades and Trade

Editorial evidence reviewedReviewed 2026-09-12Release 2026-09-19-batch-230

Market value

$45B

Producing countries tracked

9

Grading systems

1

Active supply risks

3

Trade corridors

3

Latest reviewed evidence

The figures below come from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's current watermelon grade standard and USDA Economic Research Service's March 26, 2026 outlook using 2025 data. They define U.S. grade, sample, weight and defect boundaries and provide dated U.S. market context. They do not establish current availability, certify a shipment, apply U.S. grades outside their scope or provide a live delivered watermelon price.

U.S. watermelon utilized production

3.84

billion pounds · 2025 crop, published 2026-03-26

U.S. watermelon crop value

741

million U.S. dollars · 2025 crop, published 2026-03-26

Top-three-state production share

55

percent for Georgia, Florida and California · 2025 crop, published 2026-03-26

USDA grade-and-size sample

20

watermelons per sample · U.S. standard effective 2021-09-20

Seedless-watermelon mature-seed maximum

10

mature seeds on the face of a melon cut into four equal sections; pips and caplets excluded · U.S. standard effective 2021-09-20

U.S. No. 1 anthracnose-or-decay restricted tolerance

1

percent by count at shipping point · U.S. standard effective 2021-09-20

Watermelon identity starts with variety, seed status and maturity

The USDA standard requires mature fruit with similar varietal characteristics and defines seedless watermelon as having no more than 10 mature seeds, excluding pips or caplets, on the exposed face after one lengthwise and one crosswise cut. U.S. Fancy and U.S. No. 1 require fairly well formed fruit that is not overripe; U.S. No. 2 allows more shape variation but excludes badly misshapen fruit. Atlas keeps cultivar, flesh and rind type, seeded or seedless claim, cut-test result and maturity evidence together.

Grade, defect timing and inspection point stay separate

U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 differ in quality requirements and tolerances. The standard distinguishes permanent defects such as scars, hollow heart, sunburn or immaturity from condition defects such as decay or anthracnose that may change during shipment or storage. For U.S. No. 1, the combined anthracnose-or-decay restricted tolerance is 1 percent at shipping point and 2 percent en route or at destination. Atlas records the inspection point, sample, defect class and result rather than carrying one percentage across the chain.

Weight and package basis make physical lots comparable

USDA permits size to be stated as average weight, minimum weight, or minimum and maximum weight. Each grade-and-size sample contains 20 watermelons. The standard's average-weight table runs from 10 to 34 pounds, with a 5 percent below-minimum tolerance; a lot below a 30-pound average ordinarily stays within three pounds above or below the stated average, while larger lots use a different rule. Atlas retains the declared sizing method, average or limits, count, package or bin, net weight and tolerance result.

Dated market context is not a live physical price

USDA ERS reported 3.84 billion pounds of U.S. utilized production and a $741 million crop value for 2025, with Georgia, Florida and California supplying 55 percent. Those dated statistics describe a market, not a current lot. A delivered physical estimate still needs a defined variety and seed status, grade and weight basis, origin and harvest, inspection and condition evidence, current permitted observations, quantity, currency, Incoterm, destination, delivery window, cold-chain and freight inputs, and information vintage. Atlas withholds a physical estimate when those observations or usage rights are missing.

Questions procurement teams ask

What does seedless watermelon mean under the USDA standard?

A watermelon qualifies as seedless when the face exposed by one lengthwise and one crosswise cut contains no more than 10 mature seeds. Pips and caplets are excluded from that count.

Are U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 watermelon interchangeable?

No. They use different formation, defect and quality requirements. The applicable grade, inspection point, sample and tolerance result must remain attached to the lot.

How does USDA size a watermelon lot?

The standard allows average weight, minimum weight, or minimum-and-maximum weight. Grade and size determinations use 20-watermelon samples, and the declared sizing basis and tolerances need to travel with the result.

Which fields make fresh-watermelon offers comparable?

Cultivar and commercial type, seeded or seedless claim and test, flesh and rind colour, maturity, grade, average or minimum weight, count, package or bin, defects and inspection point, origin and harvest, treatment and cold chain, lot, quantity, currency, Incoterm, destination, delivery window and evidence date.