Tanbian Large-Top Bitter Melon

Tanbian Large-Top Bitter Melon

　　Tanbian Village is located in the western part of Dalí Town (belonging to Shishan Town since March 2013) and is the birthplace of the Large-Top Bitter Melon, often referred to as the "No.1 Village of Guangdong's Large-Top Bitter Melon."

　　When it comes to bitter melon, Chen Wanhua, who has been cultivating it in Tanbian for more than 20 years, explained in detail: A long time ago, the village was already growing bitter melon, specifically the Leigongzao variety. Originally, bitter melons were long in shape, but over the years, they gradually became rounder, with the tops growing larger and larger—hence the name "Large-Top Bitter Melon."

　　Chen Wanhua said that the characteristics of the Large-Top Bitter Melon are its large top and pointed tip, with a vibrant emerald green exterior, wide ridges, prominent wart-like bumps, and an attractive shape. Each fruit weighs between 250 and 500 grams. When eaten, the flesh is thick, crisp, and slightly bitter with a hint of sweetness, but leaves a cool, refreshing aftertaste. The reason Tanbian bitter melon tastes so good is mainly due to the local soil and water conditions, which are ideal for growing bitter melon. In the mid-1990s, experts from the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences conducted soil and water sample analyses in Tanbian Village and concluded that the soil there is highly suitable for bitter melon cultivation. Nowadays, the yield of Tanbian Large-Top Bitter Melon can reach 2,500 to 3,000 kilograms per mu, with an output value of 5,000 to 6,000 yuan per mu.

　　Thanks to decades of careful cultivation by the villagers of Tanbian, the quality of the Large-Top Bitter Melon is excellent. In 1999, Tanbian Large-Top Bitter Melon won a bronze medal at the Kunming World Horticultural Exposition. In 2004, it was officially registered under the trademark “Tanbian Large-Top” by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and was also recognized as a high-quality brand product of Nanhai.