US$ 15.15 million of fresh watermelon came from new exporters
- Castesa led with US$ 8.88 million, ahead of Agroexport de Sonora with US$ 7.06 million.
- Mexican fruit sold at US$ 0.20 per kilo, Peruvian at US$ 0.10 and Colombian at US$ 0.55.
- The 59 new exporters shipped US$ 15.15 million in 2026.
In 2026, 219 companies exported fresh watermelon from Mexico, Peru and Colombia. Fifty-nine of them had not shipped a single kilo in 2025.
Mexico carried the trade. Its exporters sold US$ 100.62 million at US$ 0.20 per kilo, and US$ 100.55 million of it went to the United States.
I see good news here for an importer. The supply base keeps adding names, and the 59 newcomers shipped US$ 15.15 million this year.
So you have more suppliers to compare than a year ago. And the Mexican kilo cost 5% less than in the same months of 2025.
I read the export customs records of the three countries, shipment by shipment, from January 2025 to the latest day each one has published. The price per kilo is the value divided by the net kilos, without shipments between companies of one group.
Who exports
Castesa led with US$ 8.88 million in 2026, all of it to one buyer, Fivecrowns, at US$ 0.19 per kilo.
Agroexport de Sonora came second with US$ 7.06 million, at US$ 0.46 per kilo. That is more than double the Mexican average.
Videxport Internacional followed with US$ 4.52 million, sold to Giumarra.
Exportadora Agricola El Rincon de Purificacion shipped US$ 3.88 million to three buyers, at US$ 0.57 per kilo.
Starr Produce closed the top seven with US$ 2.80 million. It also got the best price among exporters of more than US$ 1 million: US$ 0.67 per kilo.
Four of these seven sold to a single buyer in 2026. I read that as room for a second account, and you could be it.
Who sells to many buyers
Which exporters already handle several importers? Fernando de Jesus Rodriguez Mendoza sold to 11 buyers, for US$ 1.17 million at US$ 0.15 per kilo.
That exporter was the only one with ten buyers or more. Nine exporters worked with five buyers or more in 2026.
If you want a supplier that already knows how to serve several clients, start with that group of nine.
Three origins, three prices
Mexican fruit sold at US$ 0.20 per kilo in 2026, through 189 exporters and 116 buyers.
Peru shipped US$ 0.83 million at US$ 0.10 per kilo. Its 23 exporters sent the fruit to Chile.
Colombia shipped US$ 0.46 million at US$ 0.55 per kilo. Its seven exporters sold to Aruba and Curacao.
Mexico also reached Canada, with US$ 0.04 million at US$ 0.35 per kilo, and Japan with US$ 0.03 million.
For a buyer in the United States, Mexico is the natural source. For a buyer in Chile, Peru already has 23 exporters with a working route.
What the best paid exporters sell
Among exporters of more than US$ 1 million, five sold at US$ 0.55 per kilo or more.
Starr Produce reached US$ 0.67 and Comercio Exterior Kai Zen US$ 0.62. J&J Radillo Produce sold at US$ 0.59 to six buyers.
El Rincon de Purificacion got US$ 0.57 and Exportadora Vica Fresh US$ 0.55.
Those prices sit far above the US$ 0.20 average. If you buy for a premium program, these five are the shortlist.
How the price moved
The Mexican kilo follows the season. It reached US$ 0.22 in the first quarter of 2025 and again in the first quarter of 2026.
In between, it eased to US$ 0.18 in the third quarter of 2025. In July and August of 2026 it sold at US$ 0.16.
The value follows the same calendar. Mexico shipped US$ 66.10 million in the second quarter of 2026, its strongest quarter of the year.
So the lowest price per kilo comes at the end of the summer, while the largest volume comes in April, May and June.
The new exporters
The 59 companies that shipped for the first time in 2026 sold US$ 15.15 million.
That is fresh capacity entering the trade. A company in its first season is building its client list, and that gives you room to negotiate.
Organic
Organic fresh watermelon is still a niche. Two exporters shipped it, led by Agricola Orcas, at US$ 0.14 per kilo.
What I would do
I would build the shortlist in two parts. One part with the large exporters that work with few buyers, like Castesa or Videxport Internacional, for volume.
The other part with the five exporters that sell above US$ 0.55 per kilo, if your program pays for quality.
Then I would add two or three of the 59 new exporters. They need buyers, and you can lock a good price before the April peak.
The full list of suppliers, with their buyers, their markets and 11,263 shipments since 2025, is in the Latin American Fresh Watermelon Suppliers Radar.
The numbers behind this
| Origin | US$ million, 2026 | US$ per kilo | Exporters | Buyers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 100.62 | 0.20 | 189 | 116 |
| Peru | 0.83 | 0.10 | 23 | 28 |
| Colombia | 0.46 | 0.55 | 7 | 10 |
Get the list of fresh watermelon suppliers
Every company that exported fresh watermelon from Peru, Mexico and Colombia since 2025, ranked by value, with their price per kilo, their buyers and their markets.
See the supplier listFrequently asked questions
Who are the largest exporters of fresh watermelon in Latin America?
In 2026, Castesa exported US$ 8.88 million, Agroexport de Sonora US$ 7.06 million and Videxport Internacional US$ 4.52 million, all from Mexico. Exportadora Agricola El Rincon de Purificacion followed with US$ 3.88 million.
What is the price per kilo of fresh watermelon by origin?
Mexican fresh watermelon sold at US$ 0.20 per kilo in 2026, Peruvian at US$ 0.10 and Colombian at US$ 0.55.
Which exporters get the highest price for fresh watermelon?
Among exporters of more than US$ 1 million in 2026, Starr Produce sold at US$ 0.67 per kilo, Comercio Exterior Kai Zen at US$ 0.62 and J&J Radillo Produce at US$ 0.59.
How many new exporters of fresh watermelon were there in 2026?
59 companies shipped fresh watermelon in 2026 without having shipped in 2025, for US$ 15.15 million in total.
Where does each origin send its fresh watermelon?
Mexico sent US$ 100.55 million to the United States in 2026. Peru sent US$ 0.83 million to Chile, and Colombia US$ 0.37 million to Aruba and US$ 0.09 million to Curacao.