A farmer in India has been growing yellow-fleshed watermelons which is a scientific mutation that is done naturally. Basavraj Patil is a graduate from Koralli village in Karnataka. He has collaborated with the local mart and Big Bazaar in the city to sell his produce.
Patil is earning good profits from the scientifically cultivated yellow watermelons. He had invested Rs 2 lakh in the production of the watermelons and has earned a profit of Rs 1 lakh from the sales so far.
Patil claims that yellow watermelons are sweeter than red watermelons. “These taste sweeter than red watermelons,” he told a local news agency.
The young graduate believes that farmers should diversify crop production in India. He said, “We should diversify our crop production in India.”
The yellow watermelons have a green rind similar to the red ones, however, their flesh is yellow.
Earlier, an engineer-turned farmer from Goa also cultivated yellow watermelons organically. Nitesh Borkar had cultivated over 250 yellow watermelons without using any chemical fertilisers and pesticides. He had invested Rs 4,000 in the farming project and earned more than Rs 30,000 from sales.
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Watermelons, scientifically known as Citrullus lanatus, were originally domesticated in Africa. Today, the fruit is highly cultivated worldwide, with over 1,000 varieties.
The color of this diverse watermelon ranges from pale yellow to slightly golden. They often contain edible, brown-black seeds or can be totally seedless. They also have a thinker rind as compared to their red cousin.
The unique watermelon is high in vitamins A and C, which can support the immune system and skin health. Unlike red watermelon, this variant of watermelon contains more beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that may protect against cancer and eye diseases.
