People in the United States love their watermelon, and Statista reports that, on average, each American consumes roughly 14-16 pounds of watermelon per year. Despite often being able to find watermelon at local markets, the U.S. is nowhere near the largest producer of the fruit.

China produces an average of 79.2 tons of watermelon each year, mostly in the Gansu province. Watermelons thrive in a climate ranging from 65 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, with no frost, and soil matters, too, with a recommended pH of 5.5 to 6.6.

Chinese news outlet People.cn reports that watermelon is a $290 billion industry in the country. Most of the watermelon produced in China is also consumed in China, with the Chinese population eating about 70 million tons of the fruit per year as of 2019.