China's Ultimate Summer Fruit: 16 Billion Consumed Annually!

In the sweltering summer, the heat is stifling, sticky, and thirst-inducing. What's needed is—

Watermelon, a fruit born for summer. Sweet, refreshing, and crisp, especially when chilled, its coolness is irresistible in the scorching heat.

Watermelon is the undisputed star fruit of Chinese summers. It’s the most eye-catching item in fruit shops, piled high on trucks at crossroads, and constantly featured in new drinks at beverage stores...

Since its introduction to China centuries ago, through continuous efforts, China has become a global leader in watermelon production and consumption, accounting for over 60% of the world's total output. Yet, exports are negligible. The 16 billion watermelons produced are all devoured by Chinese people, averaging nearly 100 pounds per person—truly living up to the title of "melon-eating masses."

Different regions across China cultivate watermelons of varying tastes and sizes. Ningxia's selenium-rich sand melons are large and sweet, Shanghai Nanhui's 8424 variety is refreshingly juicy, and Hainan's off-season melons provide year-round affordable access to watermelon for Chinese people.

In the heat of summer, this fruit that has cooled Chinese people for millennia is at its prime.

Watermelon is not native to China. Originating in Africa, this miraculous fruit was cultivated as early as prehistoric times. Foreign archaeologists have even unearthed watermelon seeds and remnants from ancient Egyptian tombs.

This juicy, delicious fruit has long captured the taste buds of Chinese people. With their "melon-eating" instincts awakened, Chinese growers have turned this foreign fruit into a global leader. In 2022 alone, China produced 68.893 million tons of watermelon, accounting for over 60% of the world's total output.

With so many watermelons in China, where do the best ones come from? Li Shizhen wrote in the "Compendium of Materia Medica," "Watermelons entered China during the Five Dynasties period and are now found nationwide, though those from the south are slightly less flavorful."

Objectively, northern watermelon production has long surpassed the south. But taste is subjective—the "north-south watermelon debate" is yours to judge.

Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, and Henan are China's top watermelon-producing provinces.

One out of every five watermelons in China comes from Henan. In 2022, Henan produced 12.9232 million tons, nearly 20% of the national total, maintaining its position as China's top watermelon producer for 20 years. In the memories of Henan locals, watermelons were once sold for mere cents per pound, loaded onto farm tricycles. Buying a dozen at once, farmers would even pack them in woven bags and carry them home for you.

Henan boasts cutting-edge watermelon cultivation techniques. The National Mid-Term Gene Bank for Melon and Watermelon Varieties is located here, along with 11 national and provincial watermelon breeding institutions. These advancements ensure that for every four high-quality watermelon varieties you enjoy, one and a half were bred by Henan scientists: Zhongmu watermelons from Zhengzhou, Xiayi watermelons from Shangqiu, Mengjin watermelons from Luoyang, Shangcai watermelons from Zhumadian, and Xihua mini watermelons from Zhoukou... These melons, with their superior quality, taste, and sweetness, brighten Henan summers and empower nationwide watermelon freedom.

Another agricultural powerhouse, Shandong, follows Henan with 7.4504 million tons of watermelon. Affordability is one of Shandong's strengths—during peak season, melons selling for less than a yuan per pound are everywhere. Key production areas include Changle, Anqiu, Gaomi, and Qingzhou in Weifang; Sishui in Jining; Yishui in Linyi; and Dongming, Shanxian, and Caoxian in Heze.

As China's top two watermelon producers, Henan and Shandong also have a unique way of enjoying watermelon: watermelon paste. Fermented with soybeans, this sweet and savory paste can be stir-fried, stuffed into steamed buns, or mixed with noodles. Such creativity is only possible in regions with true watermelon abundance.

In Beijing, the most popular summer watermelon is from Panggezhuang. Located in Daxing, Panggezhuang is a renowned production and distribution hub for watermelons in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, with over 640 years of cultivation history. As early as the Yuan Dynasty, Panggezhuang watermelons were famous. By the Ming Wanli era, they were even offered as tributes to the imperial ancestral temple.

Panggezhuang watermelons are thin-skinned, crisp, and juicy. In midsummer, fruit shops overflow with them, and some even drive to Daxing just to pick and eat them. Notably, Daxing is home to the world's only watermelon museum, with architecture and interiors showcasing watermelon-themed cultural features.

Shanxi and Hebei also produce excellent melons, such as Xiaxian and Daning watermelons from Shanxi, and Maying, Weixian's "Three White," and Manhe watermelons from Hebei—all equally refreshing.

In the northwest, with its intense sunlight and large temperature swings, watermelons naturally rival others in sweetness. But sweetness is just a "minor" perk—the texture and unique ways of eating northwest watermelons are what truly amaze.

Research shows watermelons were introduced to Xinjiang as early as the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty and flourished. Today, Xinjiang's best melons include Laolonghe, Yuli, and Xiayedi varieties—huge, emerald-green on the outside, vibrant red inside, and incredibly sweet. Cutting one open on the street might even attract bees.

People in Xinjiang love barbecue, so the locals, known for their culinary expertise, turned their attention to the region's abundant watermelons—hollowing them out, filling them with chunks of mutton or pigeon meat, and burying the melons in the scorching desert to roast for about three hours. The sweetness of the watermelon blends with the richness of the meat, creating a dish that is both roasted and stewed.

Moving further to Gansu, nourished by the Yellow River, the province's watermelons share a common trait of thin rinds and thick flesh, with varieties like Gaolan dry-sand watermelon, Guazhou watermelon, Shuangwan watermelon, Jiayuguan Yemawan watermelon, and Jingyuan dry-sand watermelon each boasting unique characteristics. In Minqin, Gansu, the way of eating watermelon颠覆s conventional wisdom: soaking steamed buns in watermelon juice. The sweetness of the melon and the crispiness of the bread combine organically, with the juice-soaked buns becoming soft and sweet—a rare summer delight.

Sandy-fleshed watermelons have long been considered heretical by those who prefer crisp varieties, as the sandy texture is seen as a sign of overripeness. But one taste of Ningxia's selenium-rich sand melon will shatter this prejudice—large, red, and juicy, with grains of melon bursting in the mouth, offering an utterly delightful experience.

Today, Ningxia's most famous watermelons include Qingtongxia, Yanchi, and Majiahu varieties. Local farmers have also pioneered a water-saving dryland farming technique called "sand-pressing melon cultivation": covering the soil with a layer of gravel and film, allowing seedlings to sprout through the rocks. This method reduces soil heat loss, raises ground temperature, and helps the melons accumulate more sugar.

In northern China, there are many low-key yet noteworthy watermelon-producing regions. In the northeast, Heilongjiang's Lanxi watermelon, Heiken Friendship watermelon, Langang watermelon, and Shuangcheng watermelon, as well as Liaoning's Gaizhou watermelon and Xiaoliangshan watermelon, are all summer essentials for locals.

A question: In which months are watermelons in season?

June? July? August? Southern China offers a different answer.

Before greenhouse technology became widespread, northerners could only enjoy watermelons freely in summer. But in southern China, even in autumn and winter, sweet watermelons are still available.

In the north, summer watermelons cost just a few cents per pound, while in winter, indulging in one might require a small fortune.

So where do these off-season watermelons come from? Hainan and Guangxi, China's southernmost regions, proudly claim: "We give northerners the freedom to enjoy off-season watermelons!"

Hainan's tropical climate makes it ideal for off-season watermelon cultivation. Wenchang, Wanning, Dongfang, and Sanya are key production areas, with Sanya—closer to the equator—harvesting fresh watermelons as early as January, the earliest in China. Other Hainan regions stagger their harvests across spring, filling the gap left by northern watermelons.

Guangxi, China's top fruit-producing region, may lag behind the north in watermelon output, but its two annual harvests spark envy. Spring varieties like Black Beauty, Little Qilin, and Flower Qilin sell from April to June, while autumn seedless watermelons and Xiaofu varieties last from August to October.

The nationally renowned Black Beauty, primarily grown in Hainan and Guangxi, gets its name from its dark green rind. An early-maturing variety, it's oval-shaped with firm, sweet, juicy flesh and excellent storage durability.

Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai-Anhui may not be stereotypical fruit powerhouses, but each has its watermelon preferences. Jiangsu, China's third-largest watermelon producer, boasts diverse flavors: Funing, Dongtai, Yangbei, Tongyang, Weiying, Wangzhuang, and Hengxi watermelons each have distinct traits. Dongtai watermelons, with thin rinds, few seeds, and melt-in-your-mouth sweetness, are not only nationally celebrated but also Jiangsu's largest in scale.

In Anhui, nourished by fertile soil along the Huai River, the Thirty-Hill, Shagou, and Shihu watermelons are equally famous. Beyond taste, Anhui contributed historically: during the Song-Jin period, locals introduced watermelon seeds from the Jin territory to southern China.

Ask Shanghainese their favorite melon, and the answer is unanimous: Nanhui 8424! This code-name refers to the 24th successful hybrid from 1984 breeding trials. Its popularity stems from solving Shanghai's "watermelon shortage crisis."

In 1983, abnormal weather caused severe crop failure. By summer, streets were melon-less, prompting citizens to write to the mayor, who demanded an immediate solution. After much effort, the crisp and sweet 8424 arrived, becoming Shanghai's undisputed favorite.

While 8424 is Shanghai's darling, its creator, "Watermelon Mother" Wu Mingzhu, is Hubei's pride. Born in Wuhan, this renowned melon breeder pioneered Xinjiang melon cultivation. Beyond 8424, she developed over 30 varieties in 62 years, even achieving triple annual harvests that boosted China's watermelon output.

As Wu's hometown, Hubei is also a key production area: Caidian, Babao, Shuangjing, and Guanzhuanghu watermelons bring endless summer sweetness. Together with Hunan, it's a major seedless watermelon hub, offering locals both melon abundance and seed-free convenience.

Southern China hides many "humble" watermelons that locals cherish as childhood icons. Sichuan's Panzhihua Yanbian watermelons—red, sandy-crisp, and refreshing—are summer memories under electric fans. In Guizhou's Rongjiang, thin-rinded, juicy-sweet melons pair perfectly with evening breezes and village soccer matches.

Watermelon, an unpretentious fruit, thrives everywhere from the chilly Heilongjiang in northeast China to the scorching Hainan, bringing summer coolness to people. Its plump, round shape seems born for reunion, spanning generations of Chinese memories and appearing in every summer corner, enjoyed heartily with loved ones...

China's watermelon universe is dazzling. Which one of these summer-saving fruits is your favorite?