Daxing Watermelon

Daxing Watermelon

Daxing Watermelon is a geographical indication protected product.

Daxing Watermelon is a geographical indication certification trademark.

Daxing Watermelon is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　　   Watermelon belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is an annual herbaceous plant, ranking among the world’s top ten fruits. Originally native to the Kalahari Desert in Africa, it was introduced to northwestern China via the Silk Road. The term "watermelon" first appeared in the “New History of the Five Dynasties” (Annex on Foreign Peoples), written by Ouyang Xiu of the Song Dynasty. Over 1,000 years ago, it was already being cultivated in Hebei Province and spread to Beijing. Daxing is a well-known major production and distribution hub for watermelons. Around 400 years ago, during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, there are records of Daxing watermelons being offered as tribute.

　　　　   Daxing is located in the southeastern suburbs of Beijing, on the eastern side of the Yongding River. South of Tian Gong Yuan Village in Beizangcun Township, and represented by Panggezhuang, ten townships have relatively concentrated watermelon cultivation areas, making them the main production zones of the county. This region lies on alluvial and diluvial plains, mostly featuring sandy soil. During the watermelon’s vine growth, flowering, and fruit-setting stages from May to July — which require optimal temperatures between 18–35°C — the area’s monthly average temperature ranges from 20–26°C, with extreme highs exceeding 35°C. In mid-to-late June, when watermelons require about 47% of their total water needs, seasonal rains have typically begun in the region. Coupled with significant day-night temperature variations — often exceeding 10°C during the growing season — the natural conditions here are highly favorable for watermelon cultivation. Moreover, agricultural technicians and thousands of skilled growers possess rich experience in cultivating the fruit. The resulting watermelons are renowned for their sandy texture, sweetness, and crispness, enjoying great fame in the Beijing and Tianjin areas. During Daxing District’s annual Watermelon Festival, growers from various townships compete in friendly contests, attracting many domestic and international visitors.

　　　　   Known as the “king of summer fruits,” watermelon not only helps relieve heat and quench thirst but also offers medicinal benefits such as promoting diuresis, alleviating diarrhea, soothing sore throats, and counteracting alcohol toxicity. Traditional Chinese medicine has also explored using watermelon to treat nephritis, edema, diabetes, jaundice, and high blood pressure.

　　　　   Through techniques such as plastic film mulching, Daxing has achieved year-round watermelon availability, with significant increases in both yield and quality. Daxing watermelons account for over 50% of the city’s total watermelon supply. The main variety, Jingxin No. 1, is a watermelon inbred line provided by the Vegetable Research Institute of the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences. After three years of local trials, it has consistently ranked first in Beijing’s watermelon evaluation competitions since 1986. It has been assessed to yield 3,500–5,000 kilograms per mu. The variety features a smooth appearance and perfectly round shape, with 16–17 distinct dark green stripes on a light green background. Its rind is thin yet tough, the flesh bright red and tender, crispy and sandy in texture, with minimal fibers and no hollow core or collapsing flesh. Individual melons can weigh 4–5 kilograms, with sugar content reaching 10–13%. Sweet and high-quality, it is considered a mid-to-high-end variety. It is widely cultivated, with high fruit-setting rates, suitable for traditional Beijing cultivation methods, and holds high commercial value.

　　   The protected geographical indication area for Daxing Watermelon is defined according to the scope proposed in the Beijing Daxing District document “Request for Defining the Protected Geographical Indication Area of Daxing Watermelon” (Jing Xing Zheng Wen [2006] No. 10), covering the current administrative regions of six towns in Daxing District, Beijing: Panggezhuang Town, Beizangcun Town, Lixian Town, Yufa Town, Weishanzhuang Town, and Anding Town.