Watermelons belong to the cucumber family, the Cucurbits.
Watermelon wall paintings appeared in Egypt more than 5,000 years ago, but commercial production in the US began in the 1930's.
Watermelon consumption has risen during the last four years, climbing from about 15 pounds per person in 1993 to more than 17 pounds per person in 1996 according to USDA statistics.
A large percentage of watermelons imported into the US annually come from Mexico with the remaining volume arriving from Central and South America. Imports have increased to meet the consumer demand for watermelon all-year-round.
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