Watermelon Prices: USDA FOB & Terminal Markets
Wholesale watermelons averaged $144.31 at USDA shipping point on Oct 30, 2026, down 45.5% on the week. That is 9% above the five-year October average of $132.70, across 23,104 USDA observations since 2021.
Watermelons · USDA FOB · Fri 30 Oct 2026
$144.31
-45.5%on the weekThe average of all 12 lines reported. Mostly $186.00 – $201.25. Terminal prices in 10 cities with a free account.
Period
Showing all varieties · all sizes · all origins · all packs across 71 combinations
- Average of all 12 lines
- Range today
- $14.95 – $280.00Low to high across all 12 lines · mostly $186.00 – $201.25 across 4 lines
- Terminal price
- 10 cities · reported Oct 30 · Miami cheapest, Chicago dearest
- Against a normal October
- 9% aboveFive-year norm $132.70 · cheapest Dec, dearest Mar
- 30-day high
- $264.92Oct 23
- 30-day low
- $144.31Oct 30 · today
- 30-day average
- $186.0718 report days, Sep 30 to Oct 30
- 52-week range
- $92.83 – $264.92Today sits 30% up that range
- Range today · 12 lines
- $14.95 – $280.00
- Terminal · 10 cities
- vs a normal October
- 9% above
- 30-day low to high
- $144.31 – $264.92
Is $144.31 a good price for watermelons right now?
Dearer than normal for the time of year: 9% above the five-year October average. Cheapest in December, dearest in March — a 78% swing across the year.
Five-year average by month
Today $144.31
Octobers past · monthly average
- 2022$126.08
- 2023$112.75
- 2024$129.02
- 2025$142.61
- 2026$187.12
- $126.082022
- $112.752023
- $129.022024
- $142.612025
- $187.122026
2026 so far is 31% over last October and 41% over the five-year norm of $132.70.
Where do watermelons ship from?
2 shipping districts reported watermelons to USDA. Origin moves the price as much as size does.
- Mexico via Nogales Arizona9 lines
- Mexico via Texas3 lines
What do watermelons cost by size?
Size moves the price more than variety does. Each row names its own pack — they are not comparable. 12 reported combinations.
| Line | Price | Week |
|---|---|---|
Red Flesh Seedless Type · approx 45 count · 24 inch bin Mexico via Texas · mostly $240.00 – $260.00 | $260.00 | -13.3% |
Red Flesh Seedless Type · approx 36 count · 24 inch bin Mexico via Texas · mostly $240.00 – $260.00 | $260.00 | -13.3% |
Red Flesh Seedless Type · approx 60 count · 24 inch bin Mexico via Texas · mostly $240.00 – $260.00 | $257.50 | -14.2% |
Where are watermelons cheapest to buy?
10 terminal markets reported watermelons, and the spread between the cheapest and the dearest is 6567% — same produce, same day.
Cheapest to dearest · Oct 30
- Miami
- Boston
- New York
- Los Angeles
- Detroit
- Philadelphia
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Columbia
- Chicago
Every watermelon price USDA publishes, free
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Frequently asked questions
What is the FOB price of watermelons today?
As of Oct 30, 2026 there is no single watermelon FOB price: USDA reported all reported varieties at $144.31, and red flesh seedless type at $172.39, and red flesh seedless miniature at $17.95. They trade 860% apart, so quoting one blended average would describe a price nobody trades at.
Where are watermelons cheapest right now?
Of the 10 terminal markets USDA reported in the week to Oct 30, 2026, Miami was cheapest at $6.00 and Chicago dearest at $400.00 — a difference of $394.00 per package for the same produce.
When are watermelons cheapest?
Averaged across five years of USDA reports, watermelons are cheapest in December at $98.72 and most expensive in March at $175.59.
What is the difference between FOB and terminal market prices?
FOB (free on board) is the price at the origin shipping point, before freight. Terminal market prices are wholesale prices at major-city terminal markets, for whatever pack each market reported, so the two are shown side by side rather than as a margin.
Where does the price data for watermelons come from?
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Market News reports, synced every morning, with history back to January 2021. Datajolt is not affiliated with the USDA.
Related commodities
Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Market News. Prices are daily aggregates across reported varieties, packages and grades. Datajolt is not affiliated with the USDA.