Fukang Melon Seeds

Fukang Melon Seeds

Fukang melon seeds are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Fukang melon seeds are a specialty of Fukang City in Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang. The seeds are large, thin-skinned, meaty, oily, and rich in flavor. They offer high nutritional value, being abundant in protein, fat, vitamins, starch, as well as elements such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and various vitamins. Fukang melon seeds are a nationally protected geographical indication agricultural product.

　　As a locally grown agricultural product of Fukang, melon seed cultivation has a long history. Due to the potassium-rich and mineral-abundant soil in the Fukang area—primarily sandy loam, which is ideal for melon plants that require high potassium levels—the region is particularly suitable for melon cultivation. The main varieties include Black Large Flake, Black Small Flake, Red Large Flake, and Red Small Flake. In recent years, Fukang City has focused on melon planting as a key industry, continually improving cultivation techniques and expanding production scale. It has become a new economic growth point for local farmers, with drip irrigation and mechanical harvesting now covering 100,000 mu.

　　Fukang melon seeds exhibit distinct regional characteristics. Through optimized variety selection, cultivation of superior strains such as New Seed No. 1 (Black Large Flake), and the use of post-ripening harvest technology and specialized drying methods like net sun-drying, the commercial yield of Fukang melon seeds has significantly increased. The seeds are uniform in size, with black edges and white centers, plump grains, larger flakes, thin skins, flat boards, low warping rates, a 10-seed transverse diameter of 11.5–12 cm, an average of 180–220 seeds per melon, and a yield of up to 200 kg per mu.

　　In 2014, "Fukang Melon Seeds," applied for by the Fukang Melon Association, passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, and was granted national geographical indication agricultural product registration and protection.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Fukang, meaning “abundant resources and prosperous people,” formerly known as “Tegel,” is located on the northern foothills of the eastern Tianshan Mountains, the southern edge of the Junggar Basin, in the central part of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, adjacent to Urumqi’s Midong District. It covers a total area of 11,726 square kilometers, and the city administers 4 towns, 3 townships, 3 subdistrict offices, and 60 administrative villages. The protected geographic indication area for Fukang melon seeds includes 3 towns and 3 townships—Chengguan Town, Jiuyun Street Town, Zini Quanzi Town, Shanghugou Kazakh Township, Shuimogou Township, and Sangonghe Kazakh Township—encompassing a total of 60 villages. The geographical coordinates are 43°45′–45°30′N, 87°46′–88°44′E, with an average altitude of 700 meters. The total protected melon cultivation area is 6,000 hectares, with an annual output of 18,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) Product Quality Features: Each Fukang melon weighs 2–3 kg, yielding 160–220 seeds. The seeds are uniform in size, with 10-seed transverse diameters of 11.5–12 cm. The seeds are nearly round, with black edges and white centers, plump, larger flakes, thin skins, a seed-to-kernel ratio below 1:1.5, flat boards, low warping rates, and few flawed flakes. The thousand-grain weight can reach 290–320 g, with a yield of 150–180 kg per mu, and high-yield fields exceeding 250 kg. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Fukang melon seeds are highly nutritious, containing rich protein, fat, vitamins, and potassium. Protein content ranges from 35.4–38.8 (g/100g), fat content from 40.7%–43.9%, vitamin B1 from 0.094–0.117 (mg/100g), vitamin B2 from 0.044–0.067 (mg/100g), and potassium content between 0.75%–0.96%. Each 100 g of Fukang melon seeds also contains 2.21×10³–2.52×10³ KJ of energy. (3) Quality and Safety Standards: Product quality meets the NY/T 429–2000 green food requirements.