Watermelon sweet king variety
In the hot summer, watermelon to cool off. Stepping into the scorching summer, watermelons gradually entered the peak sales season. In street community stores, stores and supermarkets, and e-commerce platforms, various varieties of watermelons are competing to appear. A wide range of watermelon varieties make people pick and choose. Recently, many consumers shouted that this year's watermelons are expensive. So, are melons expensive this year? Why? What are the economic phenomena and reasons behind it? In this issue, the reporter launched an investigation.
Text/Guangzhou Daily all-media reporter Zeng Fanying
Photo: Guangzhou Daily all-media reporters Luo Changwei and Zeng Fanying
Video/Guangzhou Daily all-media reporters Chen Xin, Luo Changwei, Zeng Fanying
Citizens' feelings: Leng Buding meets the "watermelon assassin"
"Watermelons are expensive!" This is the feeling that many citizens have reflected this summer.
"Recently, I bought watermelon Leng Buding and was 'stabbed' with a sword. A 3 pound watermelon costs 30 yuan, which is equivalent to 10 yuan per catty. The price of fresh-cut Kirin watermelon fruit plate looks cheaper, 16.9 yuan a box, but look at the weight, this box weighs a pound. It is equivalent to 16.9 yuan per catty. "Citizen Ms. Xiao pinched her fingers to settle the account." In the past, vendors pulled a tricycle to sell watermelons at the entrance of the community, which was very cheap. ”
Citizen Zhou Bing picked a watermelon at the market on Huanshi Road in Yuexiu District, and was shocked when he paid for it. "A small watermelon, 40 yuan, calculate a small piece of melon costs 5 yuan, too expensive!"
Market research: The overall market of watermelons fluctuates
The reporter conducted an investigation on online and offline channels and the wholesale market, and found that the price range of watermelons this year was large and fluctuated slightly. Offline, China Resources Vanguard stores sell a wealth of watermelon varieties, such as unicorn, sugar see, special Xiaofeng and other varieties are sold, among which, Kirin melon has two specifications, 2.5-3kg and 3-4kg, the price is 33.99 yuan / piece and 39.99 yuan / piece, equivalent to 5 yuan / jin ~ 6.80 yuan / jin. The specifications of new varieties of sugar watermelon are generally 1-1.5kg, and the price is 29.99 yuan / piece, that is, 10 yuan / jin ~ 15 yuan / jin. Special Xiaofeng watermelon is yellow flesh watermelon, the specification is 1.5-2kg, the price is 29.99 yuan / piece, that is, 7.5 yuan / jin ~ 10 yuan / jin. "Compared with the same period last year, the overall price of watermelons this year is stable and slightly increased." The person in charge said.
Online, Dingdong supermarket, from the price of the whole melon, the cheapest is marked 4kg of domestic unicorn melon, priced at 45.9 yuan, equivalent to 5.74 yuan / jin, the most expensive is 1kg of Sumeng No. 6 small sugar pill watermelon, 21.9 yuan / piece. On the Hema line, 1 3kg Huangjing watermelon has a preferential price of 108 yuan, which is equivalent to 18 yuan / jin, and there is also a 5.33 yuan / jin unicorn watermelon. "The overall market of watermelons has fluctuated this year, and the price has increased compared to the same period last year." Xu Changjie, who originally purchased living fruits, said that in the past two years, the price of watermelons has become higher and higher. At present, the purchase price of unicorn melon in Yancheng production area in Jiangsu has reached 3 yuan / jin - 4 yuan / jin, coupled with the standardization of packaging, transportation and preservation, the premium is also gradually rising.
The reporter saw in the Jiangnan market that the watermelon area was lined up with wholesalers selling watermelons. Chen Yongxiong has been in the watermelon business for more than 20 years, and in the past two years, he has mainly sold two varieties of watermelons, Meidu and Tianwang. According to him, although watermelon can now be eaten all year round, from the end of April to October, it is still the main sales season for watermelons, and on the best day of this week, 4,10 catties of watermelons can be sold in one day. According to his experience, when summer comes, he can sell up to 2,6 kilograms of watermelons a day. "The price of watermelons this year is about 5% more expensive than last year." Currently, he said, medium-sized melons are the best-sellers, accounting for seven to eight percent of sales. The wholesale price of a 10-kilogram Meidu watermelon in its stall is 3.2 yuan / jin ~ 3.7 yuan / jin.
Detective of the high price: The reporter launched a visit and investigation
"With the improvement of people's quality of life, the quality of watermelons is higher. The planting end has been forced to continuously develop new varieties, and the planting method and technology have been greatly improved to ensure the quality and green health of watermelons, and the superposition of these costs has led to an increase in prices. Xu Changjie analyzed.
One of the high-priced sources: new product research and development increases costs
The reporter observed that the new varieties of watermelons on the market are indeed increasing. At present, the mainstream consumption of watermelon varieties is unicorn melon and luscious. In the category of unicorn melon alone, there are also subdivided varieties such as 8424, Nanhui 8424, and Meidu. In the development of new varieties, the combination of production, education and research, and even the development of new products due to different groups of people, virtually formed the development and cultivation costs, which is one of the reasons for the high price of new varieties of watermelons. In China Resources Vanguard Supermarket, this year's new variety of watermelon "Sugar See" watermelon costs 10~15 yuan per pound. This melon is only 2~3 pounds in size, with high sugar content, suitable for one person to eat; The extra small phoenix watermelon is slightly larger, 3~4 pounds, and the sugar content is low, catering to the middle-aged and elderly groups who pursue health and low sugar.
Judging from the market feedback, with the improvement of consumer awareness, watermelon has entered the stage of origin competition. Mr. Zhang, who is engaged in fruit e-commerce, said that consumers often ask about the production area and variety of watermelon to make preliminary purchase judgments, and the awareness of production area has been strengthened. When he selects products, he also tends to be high-quality varieties of melons in high-quality production areas.
The reporter's investigation found that from the perspective of the size of melons, small and medium-sized watermelons are more popular than large melons, mainly because there are more small families today, and small and medium-sized melons are more convenient for e-commerce delivery. Medium-sized watermelons have long been the main type of market supply. However, in recent years, the production of small watermelons has increased significantly, and the market share has shown an increasing trend, gradually becoming one of the main types of market sales.
The second reason for high prices: new planting technology increases costs
The optimization of planting technology can make melon vines produce watermelons that are more fragrant and sweet, and the quality and specifications are more standardized, but the technical cost behind this has also increased accordingly. In the past ten years, China's watermelon production has completed the transition from open-field cultivation to facility cultivation. With the innovation of cultivation mode, new technologies such as special variety cultivation for facility cultivation, factory grafting seedlings, and multi-layer covering are increasingly matched. "China's watermelon planting model, including hydroponic management and other technologies, has a fairly high level internationally." Professor Yang Xian of the College of Horticulture of South China Agricultural University told reporters.
Li Wenwang, deputy general manager of Shanghai Boxi Village Agricultural Professional Cooperation Association, said that they use the "one vine and one melon" planting method, which delivers the most nutrients to this one melon through the melon vine, and only picks the head stubble watermelon; In order to ensure the nutrients of the land and avoid soil-borne diseases, the mechanism of planting every 5 years is initiated, and watermelons are planted only once in 5 years on the same land. "Watermelon production is divided into self-rooted seedling planting production area and grafted seedling planting production area, the quality and taste of self-root seedlings will be better, and the land price will be about 30% higher, but generally after planting the melon field of self-root seedlings, the land needs to rest for at least 3 years before continuing to plant; Grafted seedlings are generally grafted with pumpkin seedlings and can be continuously planted every year. Xu Changjie explained. All this invisibly increases the cost of watermelon cultivation.
The third reason for high prices: the market will rise when it is out of stock
Changes in supply and demand are key factors in the price of watermelons. "Generally, the price will be relatively high when it is first listed and hot, for example, when the early maturing unicorn melon in March and April is first launched, the land price even reaches 3 yuan / jin. The hotter the day, the more expensive the melon, and once the market is out of stock, the price will rise. Xu Changjie said. In addition, the increase in transportation costs makes watermelon freight higher. In fact, the varieties of watermelons are much more than those seen in the Guangzhou market. All over the country, there are also some watermelons, which are difficult to circulate on a large scale in the market due to high transportation losses. Therefore, the circulation range of this type of watermelon is mainly in the main producing area, and usually only local consumers have a good taste.
For example, Sanlin Pangua in Chuansha Town, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, is characterized by "thin skin like paper and can be broken at the touch of a touch". According to the person in charge of Hema Shanghai procurement, the appearance, taste and taste of this century-old watermelon have a good reputation in the watermelon industry, but because the "skin is as thin as paper and breaks at the touch of a touch", the transportation loss is too high, thus limiting the circulation radius, and is currently only sold in the Shanghai area. Some experts pointed out that similar watermelon products, in the future, to go to the whole country, it is necessary to continuously optimize varieties, overcome difficulties in transportation, and in the long run, it is also conducive to reducing costs.
The reporter found that at present, the watermelon market is entering the research and development fever of new varieties, and the research and development costs and planting costs are increasing, which is an important reason for the high price of watermelons. Product segmentation iteration, more powerful functions to serve consumers. From the past "directly eating melons" to the current "classified melons" and "fine eating melons"... It is hoped that the watermelon market can have a relative balance in terms of logistics, supply and demand, so that consumers can enjoy the benefits brought by stable costs and achieve "happy melons".