Nanhui area's famous 8424 melons ripen early

The well-known local watermelon variety, 8424, will go on sale on May 1.

Variety 8424, from the suburban Nanhui area of the Pudong New Area, is treasured for its sweet and juicy taste. It has become a nationally renowned brand, with a value of 250 million yuan (US$35.5 million). 

8424 means No. 24 watermelon in a series of trials to develop new species of watermelon in 1984.

The brand value reflects the craftsman spirit as it requires farmers to plant watermelons for 15 years or more to become 8424 experts, according to Pudong’s agricultural association.

The 8424 watermelon farmers in Nanhui have formed an alliance. It currently has 33 members and more than 5 square kilometers of watermelon farms. Thanks to the warm winter and advanced management system, watermelons have ripened early.

Despite increasing production costs and better quality, prices remain steady. One 8424 watermelon, weighing more than 4.5 kilograms, is priced at 70 yuan. A box of two is priced at 130 yuan, and a box of four is priced at 190 yuan.

Besides renowned supermarkets such as Metro and City Super, they will also be available through the official WeChat account of the Pudong Agriculture Commission and other online retailing platforms including Freshippo.

According to Freshippo, it sold about 300,000 of the 8424 watermelons last year. This year it plans to buy 400,000 for sale as it will expand the market to other cities such as Guangzhou and Beijing. 

According to the Pudong’s agricultural association, every 8424 watermelon has a QR code for customers to scan to learn about its farmer and growth.