As China's watermelon season ends, growers, consumers, and professional testers note that fruit selection this year was driven more by taste and quality than size or weight.
At a cooperative in Panggezhuang in Beijing's Daxing district, professional testers such as 27-year-old Zhang Linghui assessed thousands of melons for ripeness, sugar levels, and texture. Zhang explained that "each watermelon has a different sound. Unripe ones are hard, and the bounce hurts your fingers. Overripe melons sound dull and often crack inside. The best are nearly 80 percent ripe." The practice of hiring specialists reflects shifting consumer expectations in one of the world's largest watermelon markets.
China plants more than 1.33 million hectares of watermelon annually and produces around 60 million metric tons, about 60 percent of global output, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Per capita consumption in China is about 50 kilograms per year.
A July report from JD's consumption and industry development research institute noted that thin-skinned, juicy, and naturally ripened melons were most in demand this summer. Shoppers in their late 20s to mid-40s accounted for nearly 70 percent of sales, with younger consumers showing increased interest in new varieties. Growth in sales was concentrated in Beijing's Daxing district, Zhongwei in Ningxia, Guangxi, Dongtai in Jiangsu, and Shanghai.
Panggezhuang, home of the Daxing watermelon, a certified geographical indication product, covers 2,667 hectares. Production is shifting to smaller fruits weighing 1 to 1.5 kilograms, while the area for traditional large melons has decreased to under 66.7 hectares. Farmers are also testing varieties with orange and yellow flesh or black rinds.
Song Shaotang, a grower in the region, reported trial results for Jingmei 3K, a variety developed by the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences. "At our demonstration field, Jingmei 3K yields stayed at about 60 tons per hectare. Customers like its color and taste," he said. The cooperative is now promoting it in larger fields. Xu Yong, who led the Jingmei breeding team, said the series was developed to lower breeding costs, resist disease, and align with consumer demand.
From large, bulk harvests to smaller fruit marketed for taste and appearance, China's watermelon industry is adapting production and branding to align with changing consumption patterns.
Source: China Daily