The market price of watermelons showed an overall downward trend last week, although different watermelon varieties experienced different price fluctuations. The supply season of Hainan and Yunnan 'black seed' and 'white seed' watermelons came to an end in early May. They gradually withdrew from the market while watermelons from production areas in Shandong, Anhui, and Henan gradually entered their peak season. The supply seasons of different production areas frequently overlap, which causes depressed market conditions.
The main watermelon variety in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai areas is the "Unicorn Melon" or the "Early Spring Ruby". These varieties are predominantly produced around Shanghai and Hangzhou. The first harvest of watermelons from greenhouses in these production areas is gradually coming to an end. Supply is limited as the second harvest has not yet entered the market. However, the product quality is not uniform. The open-field "black seed" watermelons from production areas in Henan, Inner Mongolia, and Anhui are expected to enter the market in the middle of June. There is a gap between these production seasons that would allow room for a price increase of high-quality watermelons that enter the market in this period.
Source: Henan Wanbang Market