Dali Watermelon

Dali Watermelon

Dali Watermelon is a product with geographical indication.

　　Weinan’s Dali County is situated in the eastern part of the Guanzhong Plain, with flat terrain, fertile soil, and superior irrigation conditions, offering unique natural advantages for growing watermelons — making it one of the best regions for cultivating the fruit. The local people have a long-standing tradition of growing watermelons. Over the years, watermelon has become one of the most extensively grown fruits in the county, and Tongzhou watermelons have long enjoyed widespread fame. In recent years, with improvements in watermelon varieties and changes in farming methods, the scale of watermelon cultivation in the county has continued to expand. Farmers are competing by harvesting early, building strong brands, and creating unique features. The watermelon industry has flourished, achieving both strong production and sales.

　　Dali watermelons are generally spherical or oval in shape; their rinds may be green, black, or striped with alternating light and dark green patterns. The flesh is bright red, tender, juicy, and delightfully sweet and sandy in texture.

　　Internal Quality

　　Dali watermelons are highly nutritious, rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, as well as glucose, sucrose, fructose, malic acid, glutamic acid, and arginine. Among these, the content of glucose, fructose, and sucrose is relatively high. The sugar content of the flesh typically ranges from 5% to 12%, earning them the title “king of melons.”

　　Natural Environment of the Production Area

　　The production area of Dali watermelons is located in the eastern part of the Guanzhong Plain, bordered by the Lian Mountain to the north, the Wei River to the south, the Yellow River to the east, and the Luo River running through the center. It features a warm temperate, semi-humid, and semi-arid monsoon climate with abundant sunlight and heat resources, large diurnal temperature variations, and an altitude ranging from 329 to 533 meters. The location is geographically superior, and it is the only region in China that meets all seven key indicators for watermelon production. In particular, the unique loess-soil and sandy loam formed by the convergence of three rivers are rich in organic matter and offer excellent breathability and drainage — providing ideal conditions for growing Dali watermelons.

　　Geographic Protection Scope

　　The protected production area of Dali watermelons spans from 109°43′ to 110°19′ east longitude and from 34°36′ to 35°02′ north latitude. It mainly covers 15 towns and townships including Xiazhai, Qiangbai, Nianqiao, Chengguan, Xuzhuang, Fengcun, Guanchi, Sucun, Weilin, Liangyi, Gaoming, Fanjia, Pingmin, Zhaodu, and Zhaoyi. The total area is 10,000 hectares, with an annual output of 420,000 tons.

　　Unique Cultivation Methods

　　Dali watermelons are produced strictly in accordance with pollution-free food standards, with field records maintained for two years. Cultivation techniques include soil fertility enhancement, grafting seedlings, transplanting of large seedlings, plastic film mulching, facility cultivation, pruning to leave 2–3 vines, scientific pest and disease control, and timely harvesting. Post-harvest measures such as commercial processing and branded marketing strategies ensure high quality, high yield, and efficiency. Among these, grafting seedling cultivation and soil fertility enhancement are the most crucial techniques in Dali watermelon production.

　　Historical “Tongzhou Three Whites”

　　Locally, Dali watermelons were historically known as “Tongzhou Big Watermelons,” famous for their large size. Typically weighing at least 15 jin (7.5 kg), and often around 20 jin (10 kg), they were once described as “big as a winnowing basket yet small, small as a bull’s head yet big, thick as a basin’s rim yet thin, long as a pillow yet short — standing upright, they rival a child’s height; lying flat, they compete with a bamboo basket in size.” According to the Dali County Annals: “Watermelons from Shaya are sweet and delicious, ranking first in the Qin region. The finest among them have white skin, white flesh, and white seeds, called ‘Three-White Melons.’ They are revered far and wide under the name ‘Tongzhou Three Whites.’”

　　Promoting Tradition and Enriching Connotation

　　In the 1950s, Tongzhou Big Watermelons remained renowned both within and beyond the province. From the 1960s to 1970s, the cultivation area fluctuated with changes in grain production. After 1981, Dali County began placing greater emphasis on technical guidance for watermelon farming, training skilled personnel, and adopting plastic film mulching — which advanced the harvest period by over a month. More than 20 new varieties such as Xincheng, Zaohua, Xiangmi, and Zhongyu were introduced, enriching the diversity of Dali watermelons. In recent years, farmers have adopted various cultivation methods such as protected cropping, intercropping, and medium-to-large arch greenhouses. They have moved away from traditional large varieties and introduced mid-sized ones such as Jingxin, Huilong, Jinzhongguanlong, and Xin Hongbao, aligning the varietal mix more closely with market demand and further promoting the legacy of “Dali Watermelons.”

　　Dali Watermelon

　　Geographic Scope

　　The production area of Dali watermelons is located in the eastern part of the Guanzhong Plain, with geographic coordinates from 109°43′ to 110°19′ east longitude and from 34°36′ to 35°02′ north latitude. It mainly includes 15 towns and townships such as Xiazhai, Qiangbai, Nianqiao, Chengguan, Xuzhuang, Fengcun, Guanchi, Sucun, Weilin, Liangyi, Gaoming, Fanjia, Pingmin, Zhaodu, and Zhaoyi. The total area is 150,000 mu (about 10,000 hectares), with an annual output of 420,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: Dali watermelons are large in size, typically weighing at least 15 jin (7.5 kg), often around 20 jin (10 kg); described as “big as a winnowing basket yet small, small as a bull’s head yet big, thick as a basin’s rim yet thin, long as a pillow yet short — standing upright, they rival a child’s height; lying flat, they compete with a bamboo basket in size.” Their shape is round or oval, with bright red, tender, juicy, and sweet-sandy flesh. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Dali watermelons are highly nutritious and can be called the “king of melons,” rich in various vitamins and amino acids, with a relatively high sugar content of about 5–12%. 3. Safety Requirements: The production environment of Dali watermelons meets the NY5110-2002 standard “Pollution-Free Food: Watermelon Growing Environment Conditions.” The production process follows the NY5111-2002 “Pollution-Free Food: Watermelon Production Technical Regulations.” Pesticide residue levels exceeding standards are strictly managed according to the “Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law,” and product standards comply with NY5109-2002 “Pollution-Free Food Watermelon.”