"This year the weather was particularly nasty during the period when we cultivate watermelon seedlings. The rain lasted for a long time and sunshine was scarce. The poor weather conditions delayed watermelon supply to markets across China. Furthermore, the production volume was smaller than usual and product quality declined in comparison with previous years. Despite these circumstances in the Chinese watermelon market, watermelon farmers in Xia County managed to improve the efficiency of their operations and increase the yield per hectare." This is according to manager Tian from Xiale Watermelons.
"We have the advantage of abundant experience and advanced technology. We use this advantage to provide farmers with an intensive, integrated solution for the supply of seedlings and agricultural resources, as well as the necessary guidance required for the proper use of advanced technology in watermelon plantation. We also help in the organisation and planning of watermelon orders. The average retail price of watermelons increased by 0.5 yuan [0.07 USD] in comparison with last year. Furthermore, the efficiency and yield per hectare increased by 30% in comparison with last year. This year the economic benefit from watermelon plantation in Xia County is greater than ever before. We already sold 9.5 million kg of watermelons so far this year. We expect the overall sales volume to reach around 15 million kg by the end of August. The retail price of watermelons was around 3.4 yuan [0.49 USD] per 0.5 kg in May when the watermelons just entered the market.."
Xia County in Shanxi has unique geographical and meteorological conditions that make the area extremely suitable for watermelon plantation. Xia County is one of the larger watermelon production areas in China. Xiale Watermelons is located in Xia County. The company has more than 733 hectares devoted to glasshouse watermelon plantation. "The main watermelon varieties we currently produce are 8424 and Meidu. The watermelon rind is relatively thin in these varieties. Their pulp is red and the sugar content is around 12-14%. The flavor of these varieties is crisp and fragrant. Furthermore, we make use of advanced technology in the production process that allows us to guarantee the product quality for an extended period. The overall product quality is excellent. As for the plantation conditions of these two watermelon varieties, both of them have a high yield per hectare."
Manager Tian also elaborated on the retail conditions of Xia County watermelons: "We mainly sell our watermelons in larger cities such as Beijing, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Guangzhou, and Chongqing. Xiale Watermelons works hard to maintain industry standards during every segment of the production process and improve the supply chain. At the same time, we also seek to optimize our retail channels. We mainly sell through well-known supermarket chains and combine retail and wholesale. The overall sales volume is bigger this year than in previous years. The market demand is huge. The overall surface area devoted to watermelon plantation doubled and still demand exceeds supply. Some customers queue to order watermelons. It is also worth mentioning that we have established close cooperation with fruit companies in Hong Kong and Macao area. These companies plan to order our watermelons next year. According to them, the product quality of our Xiale watermelons is even better than the watermelons they import from Japan. This is also an indication that the Xiale Watermelons brand is reaching new heights."
Xiale Watermelons has been voted the most famous trademark in Shanxi for several years in a row. This year the brand was also acknowledged as a green food brand and a characteristic regional product. 120 watermelon plantations are participating in the 2019 edition of "Gold Medal Plantations - The Search For China's Optimum Watermelon Plantation", which is an online competition organized by Xiale Watermelons.
For more information:
Mr. Yinghui Tian
China Shanxi Xia County Agricultural Science and Technology Services Co., Ltd. (Xiale Watermelons)
Tel.: +86 1863 4807 787
Email: 609433485@qq.com
www.xialexigua.com