The Water Resources Agency’s 8th River Management Bureau is teaming up with the Taitung City Office and the Taitung City Council to promote sales of local watermelons.
The delicious "anti-sandstorm" variety is on sale for just NT$100 each, and they are flying out of the market, with over 600 sold in just one day.
To fight the recent dust problem, the River Management Bureau has permitted farmers to plant watermelons along the Beinan River estuary. However, because the planting was done earlier than usual, and the watermelons are smaller than normal, the wholesale price has declined. Chen Lung-cheng, bureau director, concocted a plan to promote the sale of the fruit to local consumers instead.
Ting Liang-hui, a watermelon farmer, brought over 200 of his mature melons to the market April 28. He provided free samples, and everyone who tried the fruit gave it a resounding thumbs up. Chen Chien-kuo, head of the market, and City Council president Hong Jui-long were also on hand to help sell the melons. Customers were limited to one per person, and quite a few people brought the whole family along to get more fruit at this spectacular price.
The first batch of 200-odd watermelons sold out in just half an hour. Ting said when he saw how much people were buying, he decided to up the quantity available. He emphasized that the Beinan River watermelons are grown without the use of chicken manure as fertilizer, and are completely organic. Although the fruit are small, they are sweet and juicy. The harvest season lasts for another week.
Ting said planting watermelons at the mouth of the river cuts down on blowing sand, and hopes that the government will make a commitment to helping farmers at the same time, letting them feel a little more secure in their livelihoods.
(This article originally appeared in “The Liberty Times” April 28.)