The watermelon industry is extremely popular in Georgia, with watermelons grown on an estimated 20,000 acres per year. Still, consistently making a profit requires constant innovation and hard work.
Picking, grading, packing and shipping melons remains the most costly aspect of watermelon production. Irrigating fields and applying newer, more effective fungicides to combat the diseases of watermelon are also two of the more expensive input costs.
Scientists with UGA Extension and the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences conduct research trials to aid farmers in producing a cost-efficient and high-yielding watermelon crop.
