Before Russia's full-scale invasion, Kherson produced over 1.5 million tonnes of watermelons annually, nearly a third of Ukraine's total. In 2022, 90% of fields were lost to occupation, infrastructure was destroyed, and land was mined.
Today, early watermelons are back on Ukrainian shelves, but mostly from imports or Odesa. Prices remain high, starting from ₴25.89 (€0.60) per kilo. Average prices range ₴35–60 (€0.80–1.40), while premium varieties cost up to ₴149 (€3.50). Experts expect prices to drop to ₴15–20 (€0.35–0.50) by late July, as more local produce reaches the market.
In Kherson, harvesting is underway, but farmers face Russian drone threats. A recent video shows workers scanning the sky, and when UAVs appear, they flee. "The drone's heading for the truck! Run!" a woman shouts. Drones often strike vehicles, destroying harvested crops and deepening agricultural risks.
Andrii, a local farmer, is helping revive the region. His family had 56 hectares on the left bank, yielding up to 60 tonnes per hectare. He left his legal career to join the business in 2012. In 2022, the war split the family — Andrii on the right bank, his brother trapped under occupation. With no access to fields or tools, they fled to Odesa, where they traded watermelons, but the quality couldn't match Kherson's.
After the right bank was liberated in late 2022, the brothers leased 20 hectares near Kherson. Land was partly demined but littered with debris. With little equipment, they planted by hand and managed to sell the entire 2023 harvest.
This year, they expanded to 46 hectares. Yields reached 55 tonnes per hectare. Still, challenges persist: birds damage irrigation systems, salt from the destroyed Kakhovka reservoir affects the soil, and mines remain a constant danger. The left bank, their best land, is still occupied.
Despite it all, Andrii rebuilds. He dreams of growing grapes and watermelons on his family's land again. "We lost everything in a day," he says. "Now we're rebuilding, field by field."
Kherson melons are back, but full recovery hinges on demining, infrastructure, and de-occupation. Until then, says Andrii, "the real Kherson watermelon is still a hostage."
Source: odesa.novyny.live / beryslav.rayon.in.ua / www.rbc.ua
