Basic Introduction to Ganzhou Honeydew Melon
Ganzhou Honeydew Melon is a specialty of Ganzhou County, Gansu Province. The county has a long history of growing honeydews, particularly in Ganzhou Township, where varieties like White Lan melon and Yellow River Honey melon began gaining popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2011, it was listed as a protected product under China's Agricultural Products Geographic Indication.
Ganzhou has had a history of growing honeydews for over 3,000 years. In recent years, following the principles of “specialization, standardization, branding, and industrialization,” Ganzhou County has continuously promoted the development of this representative industry. In 2004, Ganzhou County was named “China's Honeydew Capital” by the Organizing Committee of China's Specialties Town. In 2011, “Ganzhou Honeydew” and “Ganzhou Watermelon” received certificates for the protection of agricultural products' geographic indications from the Ministry of Agriculture. Twelve specialty agricultural products, including cantaloupe and muskmelon, have been certified as pollution-free by the Ministry of Agriculture and the provincial agriculture and livestock department. Export bases for pollution-free honeydew cultivation have been established in five main areas: Xihu Township, Ganzhou Township, Nancha Town, and others. Additionally, seven professional villages dedicated to growing honeydews covering more than one thousand mu each have been established. Meanwhile, the cultivation of pollution-free honeydews using standard techniques has been comprehensively implemented. Measures to promote demonstration gardens have been carefully implemented. One municipal-level honeydew science demonstration park, eight county-level science demonstration parks, and 23 hundred-mu honeydew production demonstration sites have been established. Efforts are being made to introduce and promote new varieties that are adaptable, resistant, and show stable traits. Three major series of varieties have been formed, including seedless watermelons of the Black Honey series, White Lan melons of the Silver Stem series, and cantaloupes of the Golden Honey and Xinmi hybrid series. These varieties are grown in early, mid, and late-season supply bases. The honeydew industry has become the most representative agricultural industry in Ganzhou, gradually forming a new pattern of modern agricultural production with “dominant industries at the township level, distinctive features at the village level, large-scale operations, and brand effects.”
In the development of the honeydew industry, Ganzhou County follows the strategy of “county-level construction of demonstration zones, expansion of scale at the township level.” It introduces high-tech agricultural technologies and implements policies such as financial support, scientific promotion, exemplary demonstration, and brand cultivation to promote the honeydew industry. The “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Specialized Agricultural Industries” was formulated, clarifying the ideas, goals, and tasks for the development of the honeydew industry, along with the main measures to be taken. Honeydew base construction has been included in key construction projects and managed according to the management methods for key construction projects. The “Ganzhou County Support and Reward Measures for the Development of Specialized Agricultural Industries” has been established, providing support and rewards to townships, departments, rural professional associations, rural brokers, enterprises, and major specialized households that make outstanding contributions to honeydew production and marketing. A leadership responsibility system has been implemented to guide, coordinate, and supervise the implementation of tasks and measures, helping to solve difficulties and problems in the development of the industry. The technical contract responsibility system for the honeydew industry has been implemented. Ten honeydew cultivation techniques, including “double film double arch,” yellow board aphid trapping, new material foam board melon cushioning for pest and water resistance, scientific pruning standardized cultivation, soil testing formula fertilization, biogas liquid spraying for pest control and quality improvement, and honeydew bagging, have been fully popularized and applied. The introduction and screening of new varieties have been continuously strengthened. Honeydew professional cooperatives have been supported and standardized, giving full play to the bridging role of the 47 honeydew professional cooperatives in the county, establishing an interest mechanism between cooperatives, members, and farmers, and forming a “foreign merchants – cooperative – farmer” planting and marketing model. Efforts have been made to cultivate brands, vigorously promoting standardized production. On the basis of obtaining certification for pollution-free agricultural products, trademark registration work for honeydew products has been carried out to enhance market competitiveness and strengthen the brand of honeydews. Trademarks such as “Dream City” and “Han Envoy Zhang Qian” for honeydews have been registered successively. Efforts have been made to actively activate circulation, releasing honeydew supply and demand information on websites such as the Ganzhou County Agricultural Science and Technology Information Network and Jiuchuan Agricultural Information Network, providing timely honeydew production and sales information services for merchants and farmers. During the sales season, “green channels” have been opened, and cold storage facilities have been planned and constructed to provide convenience for purchasing, storage, transportation, and export. Order farming has been continuously developed, actively supporting leading enterprises and large-scale distributors within and outside the county to sign honeydew production orders with townships, associations, and farmers, enhancing the ability to defend against market risks. The order sales rate of honeydew products has reached over 85% for four consecutive years. The “Ganzhou Honeydew” brand has formed stable sales channels in major cities such as Zhejiang, Guangdong, and Anhui, and international markets such as South Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand have been opened up, with market competitiveness continuously increasing. In 2011, the honeydew planting area in Ganzhou County reached 100,000 mu, with an average income per mu exceeding 5,000 yuan, and net income reaching 70.6 million yuan, accounting for 51.8% of the county's per capita net income. The honeydew industry has truly become a pillar industry and a source of wealth for farmers in Ganzhou County, making “Ganzhou” live up to its name.
Ganzhou County is located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, between 39°52′N and 41°53′N latitude and 94°45′E and 97°00′E longitude. The sweet melon planting area of Ganzhou includes 45 administrative villages in 8 townships within the administrative region of Ganzhou County: Ganzhou Township, Xihu Township, Nancha Town, Hedong Township, Sandao Gou Town, Suoyang Town, Yaozhanzi, and Bulongji Township. There are 14,000 fruit growers engaged in the cultivation of Ganzhou sweet melons, with a cultivation area of 3,400 hectares and an annual output of 150,000 tons.
Nutritional Value
1. Sweet melons contain a large amount of carbohydrates and citric acid, and they are rich in water, which can relieve summer heat, quench thirst, and eliminate dryness.
2. The conversion enzyme in sweet melons can transform insoluble proteins into soluble proteins, aiding kidney patients in absorbing nutrients.
3. Vitamin B in the melon stalk can protect the liver and alleviate chronic liver damage.
4. Modern research has found that sweet melon seeds have the effect of expelling roundworms and filariae.
5. Sweet melons are rich in nutrients and can supplement the energy and nutrients needed by the human body.
The flesh of the fruit can be eaten raw, which stops thirst and clears dryness, and can eliminate bad breath. However, the melon stalk is toxic, and excessive consumption can cause poisoning. According to expert identification, all types of fragrant melons contain malic acid, glucose, amino acids, beetroot, and vitamin C, which have good therapeutic effects on infectious fevers and thirst.
Product Characteristics
The fruit is round or oval-shaped, with a thickness of 3.5 centimeters, weighing around 3.5 kilograms, and a sugar content of 14-17%. It is durable for storage and transport and does not contain pesticide residues. It has no defects such as bruising, pressure marks, chemical damage, sunburn, diseases, or insect injuries.
The geographical environment for Ganzhou sweet melons complies with NY5110-2002 (Pollution-Free Food, Watermelon Production Environment Conditions); the product quality meets the standards of NY5009-2005 (Pollution-Free Food Muskmelons and Watermelons); and the production process control follows DB62/T1177-20