Zhongmu Watermelon

Zhongmu Watermelon

Zhongmu Watermelon is a product with a geographical indication.

　　The total planting area of watermelons in Zhongmu County exceeds 120,000 mu. Protected cultivation varieties start hitting the market after May 1st, with peak supply in mid to late May. Seedless varieties are available from late May to mid-June. Open-field watermelons begin appearing in late June, peaking in July.

　　Zhongmu County, situated in the heart of Henan Province on the southern bank of the Yellow River and to the west of Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, borders the ancient capital of Kaifeng to the east. It covers a total land area of 1,416 square kilometers, with a population of 680,000. The county administers 12 towns, 5 townships, and 431 administrative villages. The area of pollution-free agricultural product bases reaches 400,000 mu, with a total output of 780,000 tons of pollution-free agricultural products.

　　Zhongmu watermelons are known for their attractive appearance, vibrant flesh color, and delicious taste. They enjoy reputations such as “Seeds like gems, flesh like honey—the sweetness goes right to the rind” and “Cool as snow, sweet as honey, with fragrance that brings smiles and makes your mouth water.” At its peak, the planting area exceeded 200,000 mu. High-yield early-maturing varieties like Zhengza 5, which once accounted for 50% of the national early-maturing watermelon output, along with nationally renowned seedless series such as Heimi, Miyu, and Zhengkang, were all successfully cultivated and promoted in Zhongmu, making it a nationally famous watermelon production base. In recent years, the Zhongmu County Party Committee and County Government have vigorously promoted the industrialized management of watermelon farming, steadily increasing planting benefits. Farmers have widely adopted integrated pest management techniques, used green organic fertilizers, and implemented standardized production, further improving watermelon quality. Additionally, efforts have been made to adjust the varietal structure and planting models. Since 2004, Zhongmu watermelons have won the “Henan Provincial Famous Brand Agricultural Product” title twice. The registered pollution-free brand “Wuzhou Lvyuan” in 2006 has further enhanced the reputation and market competitiveness of Zhongmu watermelons. In 2008, the county’s watermelon planting area reached 120,000 mu, with an estimated total output of 280,000 tons, making it the largest national-standardized, pollution-free, early-maturing watermelon production demonstration base in the Central Plains region.

　　Main Varieties and Market Times:

　　For greenhouse-grown watermelons, the main varieties include Jingxin series such as Yipinhongxin and Shiji Xianfeng, and seedless series such as Heimi No. 5 and Huami Seedless. The planting area is 30,000 mu, with an expected output of 80,000 tons. Sales start around May 1st and mostly conclude by around June 10th, lasting about one and a half months.

　　For arch-roof greenhouse watermelons, the main varieties are Jingxin series such as Tezhong Xinxin, Yipinhongxin, and Tezhong Jingxin. The planting area is 40,000 mu, with an expected output of 100,000 tons. Sales begin around June 10th.

　　For open-field watermelons, the main varieties include Zhengkang series such as Zhengkang No. 1 and No. 2, Zhengza series such as Zhengza No. 5, Kaiza series such as Kaiza No. 2 and No. 8, and Yuanyi series. The planting area is 50,000 mu, with an expected output of 100,000 tons. Sales start in mid-June and mostly conclude by early July.

　　Nutritional Value: Watermelons are highly nutritious. Modern nutrition research shows that they contain no fat but are rich in sugars, proteins, free amino acids, malic acid, crude fiber, carotene, vitamins B1 and B2, niacin, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and more.

　　With nationally renowned high-quality varieties, superior watermelon quality, convenient transportation, a well-established urban-rural market system, and a civilized, regulated market environment, Zhongmu is sure to attract friends from all over for various forms of watermelon trade.

　　Zhongmu Watermelon

　　Geographic Scope

　　Zhongmu County is located between 34°26′–34°56′ north latitude and 113°46′–114°12′ east longitude, in the central part of Henan Province, slightly east of the province’s center, and under the jurisdiction of Zhengzhou City. It borders the ancient capital of Kaifeng to the east, Zhengzhou to the west, Xinzheng and Weishi counties to the south, and the Yellow River to the north, facing Yuanyang County across the river. The county spans a maximum north-south length (coordinate vertex distance) of 55 km and a maximum east-west width of 39 km, covering a total area of 1,396.83 square kilometers. The suitable watermelon planting area is 8,467 hectares, with an annual output of 355,900 tons. The protected production area includes 16 towns—Yaojia, Hansi, Zhangzhuang, Bagang, Huangdian, Diaojia, Sanguanmiao, Guandu, Baisha, Dameng, Zheng’an, Jiulong, Liují, Wantan, Yanminghu, and Langchenggang—two subdistrict offices (Qingnianlu and Dongfenglu), and 380 administrative villages.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The watermelons have excellent commercial appearance, are large and uniform in size, have attractive rind color, and offer outstanding taste with red, sandy flesh that is sweet and melts in the mouth. The fruit has a high sugar content and premium quality, making it suitable for fresh consumption and further processing. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: In addition to the general nutritional components of watermelons, Zhongmu watermelons have a higher content of soluble solids. According to testing by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Fruit and Seedling Quality Supervision and Testing Center (Zhengzhou), the middle flesh of Zhongmu watermelons contains 9–10% soluble solids, while the edge contains 7–8%. The rind is 0.4–1.0 cm thick, fiber content is 0.1–0.2%, and lycopene content is 56–57 mg/kg. Zhongmu watermelons have a great taste and unique flavor, making them highly popular among consumers. 3. Safety Requirements: The production area must comply with the NY5110-2002 standard for pollution-free watermelon growing environments. Production and management must strictly follow the NY/T 5111-2002 technical regulations for pollution-free watermelon cultivation, prohibiting the use of any fertilizers, pesticides, or agricultural inputs that are not legally registered or banned by the state.