Production and Trade
For current coverage of the cantaloupe industry, see the ERS bi-monthly newsletter Vegetables and Melons Outlook.
- U.S. cantaloupe planted area: 1/
2008: 73,530 acres (39,500 in California, 2,300 in Colorado)
2009: 76,060 acres (37,000 in California, 2,400 in Colorado)
2010: 77,430 acres (40,500 in California, 2,300 in Colorado)
- Farm value of cantaloupe production: 1/
2008: $357 million ($179 mil. in California, $9 mil. in Colorado)
2009: $350 million ($158 mil. in California, $13 mil. in Colorado)
2010: $314 million ($134 mil. in California, $8 mil. in Colorado)
- U.S. cantaloupe production: 1/
2008: 1.929 billion pounds (1.17 billion in California, 0.04 billion in Colorado)
2009: 1.928 billion pounds (1.11 billion in California, 0.06 billion in Colorado)
2010: 1.884 billion pounds (1.09 billion in California, 0.04 billion in Colorado)
- U.S. cantaloupe production, top five States, 2010: 1/
CA – 1.092 billion pounds
AZ – 0.489 billion pounds
GA – 0.150 billion pounds
CO – 0.042 billion pounds
IN – 0.039 billion pounds
- Summer-season (July-Sept.) cantaloupe shipments (all-types): 2/
Share of U.S. market, 2010:
California: 83.1 percent
Arizona: 6.9 percent
Indiana: 4.1 percent
Colorado: 2.8 percent
- U.S. summer season (July-Sept.) cantaloupe area for harvest: 1/
2008: 28,200 acres
2009: 28,100 acres
2010: 28,500 acres
2011: 25,800 acres
- U.S. per capita use of cantaloupe: 3/
2008: 8.87 pounds
2009: 9.12 pounds
2010: 8.54 pounds
2011: 8.50 pounds (forecast)
U.S. Trade
- U.S. cantaloupe imports: 4/
2008: 0.931 billion pounds (Jan-Dec)
2009: 1.045 billion pounds (Jan-Dec)
2010: 0.949 billion pounds (Jan-Dec)
- U.S. cantaloupe imports (all) as percent of domestic use: 4/
2008: 34.4 percent
2009: 37.3 percent
2010: 35.9 percent
- U.S. cantaloupe imports by country, 2010
Top five sources: 4/
Guatemala— 433 million pounds
Honduras — 289 million pounds
Costa Rica — 164 million pounds
Mexico — 62 million pounds
Canada — 0.69 million pounds.
U.S. cantaloupe prices
- Farm price for cantaloupes: 1/
2008 average: 18.50 cents per pound
2009 average: 18.20 cents per pound
2010 average: 16.70 cents per pound
July 2011: 25.10 cents per pound
August 2011: 14.60 cents per pound (preliminary)
- U.S. advertised retail price for cantaloupes: 2/
2008 average: $2.30 each
2009 average: $2.09 each
2010 average: $2.14 each
July 2011: $2.26 each
August 2011: $2.14 each (2 percent below 2008-10 average)
1/ Sources: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Vegetables. 2/ USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, Fruit and Vegetable Market News. 3/ Computed by USDA, Economic Research Service. 4/ Derived by ERS from data of U.S. Dept. of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau.
Want More Data and Information?
See also:
Vegetables and Melons Briefing Room
Vegetables and Melons Outlook Report
Vegetables and Melons Yearbook
U.S. Cantaloupe Statistics data product
Consumers’ Response to the 2006 Foodborne Illness Outbreak Linked to Spinach
Outbreak Linked to Spinach Forces Reassessment of Food Safety Practices
Response to U.S. Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Associated With Imported Produce
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