Georgia’s Watermelon Capital Celebrates Bumper Crop Despite Market Challenges

Cordele, GA |

It’s not hard to see why Cordele is known as the Watermelon Capital of the World—thousands of melons are now rolling out of the fields as harvest season hits its peak. While it’s one of the busiest times of the year, local growers say it’s also one of the most rewarding, marking the payoff for months of preparation and hard work.

“Yeah, it’s always the gratifying part—to take it to market after the months of growing,” says Greg Leger, President of Leger & Son. “It’s exciting. It’s a busy time of year. This is when we make it—this window is the abundance of our production throughout the summer.”

Ideal spring conditions have helped growers produce a bumper crop for 2025, with strong yields and top-quality fruit.

“The growing season was good—almost perfect,” says Leger. “The yields are great and the quality is second to none.”

Of course, that success relies on having enough workers in the fields, since watermelons remain a labor-intensive crop that must be harvested by hand.

“Labor is a huge part of watermelons,” Leger explains. “We have to pick several times. You can’t pick it with a machine—it’s all done by hand. It’s the same people each season. They start in Florida and move up the East Coast, so by the time they get to Georgia, everybody’s in good shape.”

Once the melons are picked, quality control at the packing facility helps ensure customers get the best possible fruit. But Leger says there are still a few tips for picking the perfect melon at the market.

“If we do our job as grower-shippers, we take a lot of the guesswork out of it for the consumer,” he says. “You want to find one that’s symmetrical in shape with no bruising and heavy for its size. Look for the ground spot—what we call the belly. If you turn the watermelon over, it should have a yellow spot—that means it’s mature.”

Even though recent heavy rains haven’t hurt this year’s production, the same can’t be said about demand across the country.

“Unfortunately, we’ve got oversupply this year,” says Leger. “The movement in the Northeast and Midwest just hasn’t been pulling like it normally does. But the good news is, we’ve got a ways to go, and movement increased starting last week. We’re excited about finishing up the season and getting the rest of this crop off.”

Despite the early marketing challenges, Georgia growers take pride in producing watermelons for families to enjoy during a short—but sweet—window of time.

“It’s really gratifying to take a product all the way through to the markets,” Leger says. “Our window here in Georgia usually starts the first of summer and goes to about the fifteenth of July. The month of June through mid-July is a big time for watermelon production.”

By: Damon Jones

UGA Launches Grand Farm in Perry: The Future of Georgia Agriculture Starts Here

Perry, GA |

The future of farming in Georgia is taking root in Perry with the launch of the UGA Grand Farm—a 250-acre innovation hub designed to showcase the next wave of agricultural technology and sustainability. Created by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the farm is poised to become a leading destination for ag innovation in the Southeast.

“In essence, we want this to be the go-to place in all of the Southeast U.S. for the latest and greatest within ag innovation and technology,” says Nick Place, Dean of UGA CAES. “We’ve partnered with companies large and small—corporations and startups—to demonstrate their latest technology. We want to do that particularly for producers, extension agents, ag teachers, and young people—4-H and FFA members.”

The stakes are high. Agriculture is Georgia’s number one industry, and with producers facing mounting challenges, the timing for this initiative couldn’t be more critical.

“There are a lot of challenges facing agriculture—labor, water, pests, diseases, and more,” Place explains. “One way we address those issues is through technology. For example, autonomous tractors and equipment can help solve labor shortages. Technologies like see-and-spray systems use cameras to identify weeds or pests and apply targeted treatments—improving efficiency while reducing environmental impact.”

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper echoed the importance of innovation in keeping the industry strong and competitive, particularly as net farm income has seen significant declines nationwide.

“It’s an opportunity to continue to propel our state’s number one industry,” says Harper. “We’ve seen over $40 billion in net farm income losses in just the last two years across the country. Innovation and technology are what’s going to ensure our farm families can succeed—helping them be more efficient, more effective, and able to keep more money on the farm at the end of the day.”

Beyond advancing farm operations, the Grand Farm is also being positioned as a platform to educate consumers and bridge the gap between urban and rural communities.

“This is going to be a showcase—not just for Georgia, but for the entire country and the world,” says Harper. “Visitors to the fairgrounds or the state livestock shows will get to see new technology and innovation in action. But even more importantly, this farm will help show that agriculture is more than what people traditionally think. Food doesn’t just show up on the grocery store shelf. There’s a hardworking farmer—especially Georgia farm families—growing those Georgia Grown products our consumers enjoy every day.”