Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon

Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon

Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Washe Village is located in the southwest of Yuhuangmiao Town, bordering Jiyang County to the south. The village has 120 households, a population of 530, 25 Party members, and over 1,200 mu of arable land. In recent years, the village has aimed at developing modern, distinctive agriculture, using the cultivation of black-skinned winter melon as a breakthrough, and has pioneered a new path for increasing farmers’ income through a “cooperative + base + farmer” model. The planting area of black-skinned winter melon has reached over 1,000 mu, with an output of 12,000 tons, generating revenue of more than 9 million yuan. The per capita net income of the village has reached 10,000 yuan, making it the main source of income for local farmers.

　　The cultivation of winter melon in Washe Village has a history of over 100 years. Originally, the main variety grown was the pink-skinned winter melon, cultivated in open fields without any protective facilities. The resulting melons were neither attractive nor tasty. Starting in 2000, the village Party branch secretary Chang Yanfu introduced 20 mu of black-skinned winter melon from Dongguan, Guangdong, and implemented trellis-supported, hanging melon cultivation techniques. That year, the yield reached over 18,000 jin per mu, with a price of 0.18 yuan per jin, resulting in a per-mu income of 3,240 yuan. In contrast, the price of pink-skinned winter melon was only 0.03–0.05 yuan per jin—about one-fourth that of the black-skinned variety. Typically, the yield of pink-skinned winter melon did not exceed 15,000 jin per mu, and its maximum per-mu output value was only about 750 yuan. The following year, under the demonstration and leadership of Secretary Chang Yanfu, the cultivation area quickly expanded to over 100 mu. To support the cultivation of black-skinned winter melon, the Washe Village Committee also hired technicians from Guangdong. They frequently invited technical experts from institutions such as the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Municipal Agriculture Bureau to give lectures, helping them develop pollution-free and green cultivation technical standards for black-skinned winter melon.

　　Now, the characteristic winter melon brand base has met the “Ten Haves” standard: having a brand, intermediaries, a market, leading enterprises, testing capabilities, a website, specialized agricultural supply stores, technical support, institutional frameworks, and core demonstration zones. It has entered a virtuous development track characterized by “standardization, industrialization, technologization, and informatization,” becoming the largest black-skinned winter melon base north of the Yangtze River and a highlight of modern, distinctive agricultural production in Yuhuangmiao Town.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The geographic protection area for Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon covers six towns (or subdistrict offices) within Shanghe County, Jinan City, Shandong Province: Yuhuangmiao, Zhangfang, Xushang, Zhenglu, Jiazhuang, and Hanmiao, encompassing a total of 96 administrative villages. The geographical coordinates are: 116°58′–117°26′ east longitude and 37°06′–37°32′ north latitude. The protected area spans 1,500 hectares, with an annual total output of 112,500 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The main cultivated variety is the traditional household black-skinned winter melon. The melons are long and cylindrical, measuring 55–60 cm in length, 25 cm in diameter, with flesh 6–7 cm thick. The flesh is white, and each melon weighs 15–20 kg, with individual melons reaching up to 30 kg or more. The rind is black (dark green), the flesh is dense, the quality is excellent, and it stores and transports well. The yield is over 5,000 kg per mu. The flesh of Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon is white and thick, and both young and mature melons are edible. Except for young melons harvested early—which should be fresh and tender—mature melons are typically harvested when fully developed, ripe, firm, thick-fleshed, small-celled, well-shaped, with no blemishes or external damage on the skin, firm and unrotted. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon contains higher dry matter and lower water content compared to common winter melon varieties, with superior quality and flavor. It is naturally fat-free and low in calories, which is significant for preventing obesity and aiding in maintaining a fit physique. Common cooking methods include stir-frying, braising, stewing, stuffing, simmering in soup, and using in fillings. Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon is rich in total sugar ≥2.1%, vitamin C ≥16.7 mg/100g, potassium ≥70.9 mg/100g, sodium ≤45.4 mg/kg, calcium ≥4.6 mg/100g, magnesium ≥5.3 mg/100g, and zinc ≥1.2 mg/kg. 3. Safety Requirements: The growing environment for Washe Black-Skinned Winter Melon meets the standards of the “Quality and Safety Non-Polluted Vegetable Production Environment Requirements” and the “Environmental Quality Standards.” The safety and hygiene indicators of the product surpass national standards. The entire production process follows non-polluted vegetable standardization and the production technical regulations established by our county.