Daning Watermelons

Daning Watermelons

Daning Watermelons are a geographical indication certification trademark.

Daning Watermelons are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Daning watermelons are all grown by local farmers, with bright red flesh, black seeds, and rich nutrition. They are quite famous in southern Shanxi and we hope you’ll come and try them.

　　Daning County is located at the southern end of the Lüliang Mountains in Shanxi Province, on the eastern bank of the Yellow River. Surrounded by mountains on all sides and shaped like a basin, its lowest elevation is 481 meters and the highest reaches 1,791 meters. The soil is fertile and the area has a temperate climate with zonal brown earth. The average annual sunshine hours are 2,466.7, and there is a large temperature difference between day and night, making it ideal for watermelon cultivation. The Daning Xinshui River runs through the county, and its mild climate and abundant water resources are unmatched by neighboring counties — it is often praised as “Little Golden Palace.”

　　Daning watermelons are known for their high sugar content, ranging from 12 to 15 degrees. They are large in size, with thin rinds, crisp flesh, and entirely red, sandy flesh inside dotted with a few black seeds. With just a cut, sweet juice flows down the blade. When eaten, they taste sweet and crisp, with a unique flavor. More importantly, they are rich in vitamins and fructose, offering health benefits such as clearing heat, reducing blood pressure, and promoting diuresis.

　　Although Daning watermelons have such premium quality and taste, they have long only been sold in mobile markets, street stalls, or to outside vendors, and have never made it into supermarkets. This has greatly hurt the interests of the melon farmers, all because they haven’t realized the importance of having their own brand. The only real strategy to overcome this dilemma is to manage agriculture with modern business concepts. To optimize the industrial structure of Daning watermelons and protect the vital interests of farmers, the New Oasis Agricultural Products Cooperative applied to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce for approval of the agricultural product registered trademark — “Little Golden Palace” — as a brand, marking the beginning of branded operations for high-quality Daning watermelons.

　　Daning Watermelons

　　Geographic Scope

　　Daning County is located at the southern end of the Lüliang Mountains in Shanxi Province, in the western part of Linfen City. It governs two towns and four townships, with 84 village committees and 309 natural villages, and a population of 67,000. Its geographic coordinates are between 110°27′55″–111°0′40″ east longitude and 36°16′40″–36°36′25″ north latitude, stretching 50 kilometers from east to west and 38 kilometers from north to south, covering a total area of 967 square kilometers. Elevations range from 481 to 1,719 meters, with a relative height difference of 1,238 meters. The county borders Yonghe County to the north, Ji County to the south, Puxian and Xixian counties to the east, and faces Yanchang County in Shaanxi Province across the Yellow River to the west. The total production area is 16,300 hectares, of which 5,000 hectares are used for watermelon cultivation, yielding 220,000 tons of watermelons annually.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　Daning watermelons are large and round, with greenish stripes. Internal quality: Daning watermelons feature thin rinds, sandy flesh, sweet taste, tender and crisp texture, juicy and brightly colored flesh, low fiber content, and high sugar content, with an average sugar level above 10%, and up to 13% in premium ones. The trace element content is higher than that of other common varieties. Safety requirements: The product quality meets the safety standards of NY5109–2005 for pollution-free melons.