After remarkably steady summertime average price-per-watermelon from 2018 through 2022, from mid-June to mid-July 2023, watermelon prices shot up 49%.

Mintec, a global provider of market intelligence and pricing data, released this news July 17. 

Mintec indicates the “latest analysis reveals a myriad of factors contributing to this unprecedented price surge. Weather patterns, supply chain disruptions, transportation costs, and shifting consumer demands have all played a role in the fluctuating watermelon prices.”

Related articles: A promising season for U.S. watermelons

In the last 30 days, the average price of a watermelon surged to $5.44, a significant leap from the $3.60 seen in the same period last summer. This striking escalation comes as a stark contrast to the relatively stable pricing of watermelons in the previous summers, raising questions and fueling speculations among market analysts.

 Mintec data shows that between 2018 and 2022, whole watermelon prices averaged between $3.35, in 2018, and $3.91 in 2019. After that averages were even more consistent, being $3.75, $3.73, $3.63, and $3.60 in consecutive years. 

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