Texas watermelon production is expected to be average with better yields so far, but lower quality fruit than last season. It seems like the 2023 melon season was shaping up to be average in the Rio Grande Valley and Winter Garden regions. This means there should be plenty of Texas-grown watermelons to pick from.
Watermelon acreage increased this year in South Texas. Fruit yields were about average, while quality was lower due to consistent rains throughout the month of May. Producers were yielding 45,000-50,000 pounds per acre. Watermelon fields reaching 50,000 pounds per acre are average for the Rio Grande Valley.
Since early May, the rains have created quality issues. Rainfall as the fruit developed on the vine led to lower brix measurements than in recent years, which impacted flavor and sweetness. The rains also led to some issues with diseases like downy mold and fusarium, he said, which in turn also led to lower-quality fruit.
Source: farmprogress.com