Yellow Dike Watermelon

Yellow Dike Watermelon

Yellow Dike watermelon is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　“Yellow Dike” brand watermelons are known for their thin rinds, juicy flesh, crisp texture, and sweet taste that melts in your mouth. The mini series, such as Extra Small Feng and Early Spring Red Jade, are small and delicate; the medium-sized series, like Su Mi and Jing Xin No. 1, are crystal clear; and the large series, such as Golden Bell Crown Dragon, are smooth and well-shaped, winning favor from customers across the country. Not only are Yellow Dike watermelons crisp, sweet, and thirst-quenching, but they are also highly resistant to storage and transportation, making them bestsellers in major cities and provinces across the country including Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Heilongjiang. In 2008, after review and certification by the China Green Food Development Center, Yellow Dike watermelons met the Green Food standards and were awarded the Green Food label.

　　Yellow Dike watermelons are produced in Dadihuangbu Village, Mingcun Town, Pingdu City, covering a protected area of 80,000 mu. Dadihuangbu Village is located at the western end of the Jiaodong Peninsula, at the foot of the historic Sanhe Mountain, which has a long history and is one of the cradles of China’s agricultural civilization. During the Qin and Han dynasties, Sanhe Mountain was listed as one of the “nationally designated sacred mountains” for imperial worship. According to the “Han Shu · Jiao Ci Zhi” (The Book of Han: Treatise on Sacrifices), in the first year of the Shenjue era, Emperor Xuan of Han worshipped at Sanhe Mountain, which was then declared a sacred mountain with restricted access and a shrine established. Local folklore says that during the imperial worship, the emperor bestowed watermelon seeds upon the locals. Thanks to the area’s favorable climate, the watermelons thrived, cultivation gradually expanded, and the fruit became a local specialty of the Sanhe Mountain region. The watermelons of Dadihuangbu are representative of those from Sanhe Mountain—sweet, sandy-textured, and notably sweeter than those from other areas, making them truly premium melons. A local saying goes: “The grapes of Daze Mountain, the garlic of Taitou, cannot compare to the watermelon treasures of Dadihuangbu.” Yellow Dike watermelons have thin rinds, sweet flesh, and juicy, sandy pulp with a sugar content as high as 13.1 degrees. In 2008, Yellow Dike watermelons were supplied directly to the Qingdao Sailing Competition and the Paralympic Sailing Events of the 29th Olympic Games; in 2009, the “Yellow Dike” trademark was honored as the most competitive agricultural product trademark; in 2010, it received national geographical indication protection registration from the Ministry of Agriculture; and in 2013, it was awarded the title of Qingdao High-Quality Agricultural Product Brand.

　　Production Area

　　Yellow Dike watermelons are produced in four towns of Pingdu City, Qingdao: Mingcun Town, Magezhuang Town, Baibu Town, and Tianzhuang Town. Pingdu City is located on the North China Plain, in the eastern part of Shandong Province and the western part of the Jiaodong Peninsula. It serves as the western gateway to Qingdao, with coordinates between 119°31′57” to 119°51′59” east longitude and 36°37′49” to 36°50′26” north latitude, and an average elevation of 31 meters. It borders the Yellow Sea to the south and the Bohai Sea to the north, and lies 100 kilometers from downtown Qingdao, 190 kilometers from downtown Yantai, and 78 kilometers from downtown Weifang. It is a strategic hub connecting the Jiaodong Peninsula with inland regions. The production area of Yellow Dike watermelons is located in the western part of Pingdu City, bordered by the Jiaolai River to the west, Cujiaji Town to the south, Mengcun Town, Liyuan Subdistrict, Tonghe Subdistrict, Lianlan Town, and Wanjia Town to the east, and Zhangshe Town to the north. The total production area spans 80,000 mu, with an annual output of 400,000 tons.