Funing Watermelon

Funing Watermelon

Funing watermelon is an agricultural product geographical indication product.

　　Funing watermelon is a specialty of Funing County, Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province. Known for its excellent taste, minimal fiber, high moisture content, and sweet flavor, Funing watermelon has won the favor of consumers. It is a nationally protected product under China’s Agricultural Product Geographical Indication system.

　　Funing is a national-level Class I ecological demonstration zone and a county designated as a standardized production base for green food raw materials, providing an ideal environment for the development of a green watermelon industry. In recent years, the county has introduced over 10 high-quality watermelon varieties from Japan, Taiwan, and other regions, fully implementing pollution-free cultivation of premium watermelons. Originally not a watermelon-growing area, Funing has rapidly expanded its watermelon planting area to 17,000 mu in just two years, with 21 large-scale bases established. Funing’s “Xiangyu Brand” watermelon mainly cultivates high-quality varieties from both China and abroad, including Early Spring Red Jade, Xiaolan, Huilan, and Jingxin. With its excellent taste, minimal fiber, high moisture content, and sweet flavor, it has gained consumer approval and is widely sold in Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou.

　　In 2014, “Funing Watermelon,” applied for by the Funing County Vegetable Association, passed the review of the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, and was granted national protection under the Agricultural Product Geographical Indication registration system.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Funing County is under the jurisdiction of Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province. “Funing Watermelon” is produced in the Yellow River alluvial plain region of Funing County, with geographic coordinates ranging from 119°27′10″ to 119°42′52″ east longitude and 33°30′17″ to 33°51′03″ north latitude. The actual planting area is approximately 5,333.3 hectares, while the total protected geographic area covers 54,487.3 hectares. This includes all areas of five towns—Lupu, Banhu, Donggou, Guhe, and Luqiao—as well as parts of four other towns—Yilin, Yangzhai, Chenji, and Xingou—encompassing a total of 186 villages and residential communities.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory: For extremely early-maturing cultivars, the single fruit weighs 1.5–2 kg, with an oval shape, striped pattern, and clear markings. For early-maturing cultivars, the single fruit weighs 5–7 kg, with a round shape, striped rind, clear patterns, and fresh color. 2. Internal Quality: For extremely early-maturing cultivars, the central sugar content is greater than 11g/100g, with bright red flesh, a rind thickness of 0.4–0.5 cm, and a crisp, tender, and refreshing texture. For early-maturing cultivars, the central sugar content is above 11.5g/100g, with light red flesh, a rind thickness of less than 1 cm, bright and even color, and juicy, crisp texture. 3. Safety Requirements: The quality of Funing watermelon complies with the quality standards of the “Pollution-Free Melons” (NY 5109—2005) specification.