Mexico regained its position as the world's largest exporter of watermelons by volume in 2023, displacing Spain, which had ranked first since 2017. Despite this change in the volume of exports, Spain continues to lead in terms of value, achieving higher sales prices for its watermelons than Mexico, according to a report by Hortoinfo based on data from the Statistics Division of the United Nations Organization (UN), COMTRADE.
Mexico has once again managed to lead the ranking by volume. Mexico, Spain, Italy, and Morocco accounted for almost half (49.98%) of the world's watermelon exports in 2023. Mexico was the leading exporter with 726.94 million kilos, i.e. 19.26% of the global total, followed by Spain with 662.91 million kilos, Italy with 249.64 million kilos, and Morocco with 247.2 million kilos. The United States, Greece, the Netherlands, Turkey, Guatemala, and Brazil complete the top ten watermelon exporters by volume in 2023.
As for the income generated by these exports, Spain remained at the top, with exports worth 486.5 million euros, i.e. 22.57% of the world total, which amounted to 2,155.46 million euros. It was followed by Mexico (with 347.15 million euros), Morocco, Italy, and the United States.
This change in the classification reflects the global dynamics of the watermelon market, highlighting the importance of both volume and value in the international trade of fresh fruits.
Source: hortoinfo.es