Watermelon Spotlight

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Watermelons grown in Yanggu-gun County have topped the ranks of watermelons at wholesale auctions in Korea for five consecutive years. They remain popular despite their expensive price. Here’s more.

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This village near the Demilitarized Zone grows the famous Yanggu watermelons known for their firm texture and fragrant aroma.

[Soundbite] Kwon Man-kyu(Watermelon farmer) : "It has a refreshing and pleasant taste. Yanggu watermelons are famous for their good taste."

This year the watermelon harvest is especially good thanks to the high temperatures and low precipitation. Weighing around 10 kilograms, these watermelons have a sweetness level of over 12 Brix and a firm, crunchy texture. They can also be stored for twice as long as regular watermelons. Yanggu watermelons cost 10 percent more than watermelons grown in other regions, and have topped the ranks at wholesale auctions nationwide for five consecutive years. Consumer prices for Yanggu watermelons reach up to 43 U.S. dollars apiece.

[Soundbite] Kwon Eun-kyung(Agricultural Technology Center) : "Yanggu watermelons are grown in shared nurseries where each stage, from seedling cultivation to sorting and distribution, is monitored systematically."

Despite their expensive price, the demand for Yanggu watermelons remains high thanks to their superb quality.