Watermelons sell at rock-bottom prices with no buyers; citizens buy melons out of kindness to help farmers in need
Since August, the ** purchase price of watermelons has continued to fall, dropping from 1.3 yuan/kg at the farm gate in early July to 0.2 yuan/kg, and recently it has fallen even further to 0.1 yuan/kg, with melon farmers generally suffering heavy losses.
At the Communist Youth League Farm in ** Wujiaqu City, melon farmers have been piling their watermelons at the fork roads near the farm to attract the attention of passing vehicles. After learning of the situation, residents also drove their private cars to the fields to buy watermelons.
On August 11, a reporter saw in the melon field of Yu Changfa, a melon farmer at the Communist Youth League Farm, that within half an hour, more than 20 residents drove their private cars one after another to buy melons. The melon farmers discussed among themselves: "As long as the watermelons don't rot in the field, that's fine. Whenever residents drive their cars here to haul melons, they can load as much as they want in the field, and 50 yuan for a full carload, even at a loss, we'll let them haul them away."
Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhao Ge, photo report
↑In the melon field of Yu Changfa, a melon farmer at the Communist Youth League Farm in Wujiaqu City, some watermelons have rotted in the field (photo taken on August 11).
↑Residents drive their private cars to the Communist Youth League Farm to pick watermelons and help ease the melon farmers' troubles (photo taken on August 11).
↑Caring individual Jiang Jiang (right) delivers the money for 3,000 kg of watermelons into the hands of melon farmer Cui Jinhuan. Jiang Jiang plans to gather enough for 10,000 kg of watermelons to donate free of charge to institutions such as welfare homes and nursing homes. Upon hearing this, Cui Jinhuan hurriedly said: "If it weren't for the fact that I still have two university students at home to support, even though I've suffered losses this year, I really wouldn't plan to accept this caring money from Jiang Jiang." (photo taken on August 11). ↑Melon farmers and caring individuals load a truck. This truck is loaded with 3,000 kg of watermelons, and these watermelons will be transported free of charge to a children's welfare home in Urumqi (photo taken on August 11). ↑Caring individual Jiang Jiang posts information about the unsold watermelons on WeChat Moments to attract the attention of more caring people (photo taken on August 11). ↑A caring driver sorts out a truck loaded with watermelons (photo taken on August 11).
Editor: Li Mengjiao