Al-Hasakah-Hama-Sana
Watermelon crops, in its red and yellow varieties, occupy the forefront of production in the summer crops that are grown in Al-Hasakah Governorate as a result of the farmers' interest in planting it in various regions of the governorate due to the good financial returns and high productivity.
The head of the Department of Plant Production in the Directorate of Agriculture, Engineer Jalal Bilal, said in a statement to SANA reporter that the cultivation of red and yellow watermelons has witnessed a great demand by farmers in recent years, as the cultivated area exceeds what is planned by the directorate by several times due to the high productivity of the crop and the presence of a strong exchange market for it In the governorate, in addition to its low production costs compared to other crops, especially tomatoes.
Engineer Bilal pointed out that the governorate's production of watermelon for the current season is estimated at 75 thousand tons, of which 62 thousand tons are red watermelon and the rest is yellow watermelon, pointing out that its production and placing on the market began at the beginning of this month and production continues until the end of September of each year.
A number of farmers, including Salman Al-Khudair and Amer Al-Awda from the Tel Barak district, indicated that the farmers’ demand for its cultivation is due to the presence of a strong exchange market for it in the markets of Al-Hasakah Governorate and in the markets of the neighboring governorates, in addition to the low production costs and remunerative returns from its cultivation.
He explained that the area planted with red watermelons in Al-Hasakah governorate for the current season amounted to 2082 hectares out of the planned area of 1073 hectares.
In Hama, the harvest of the red watermelon crop continues in various regions of the governorate, especially in its eastern countryside, where it is famous for the production of this crop, whose producers are promising in light of the stability of product prices and good marketing levels at the local level and in various governorates.
SANA’s camera visited one of the red melon production fields in the village of Mabuja in Salamiyah countryside and met its owner, Shadi Hajj Hussein, who explained that the production quantities for this year are acceptable, as the production of one acre ranges between 5 and 6 tons, indicating that the two most important types of watermelon are being produced in his field and most of the fields The province is Lysia and Red Heaven, which have high productivity qualities, in quantity and quality, as well as their color and taste, which are popular with consumers, and their high productivity.
He added: Watermelon cultivation is a source of material income for many farmers, and it has become one of the most important alternative intensive cultivations in the region, which begins the pounding process at the beginning of June and usually continues until the end of August of each year.
For his part, Head of the Peaceful Agriculture Department, Basem Suwaidan, indicated that the cultivation of red watermelons in the Salamiyah area is concentrated in Samakh, Tildera, Berri and Mabuja, pointing out that the area of lands planted with this agricultural yield in the area of Salamiyah is estimated at more than 1500 dunams, most of which are irrigated, with production estimates exceeding 7,000 tons.
SANA Economic Bulletin
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