Why are melons and fruits grown on gravel-mulched fields in Ningxia as sweet as honey?

Original title: Ningxia: Melons and fruits perfume the air on gravel-mulched fields

This is a watermelon grown at the watermelon and muskmelon base in Fengwan Village, Guanqiao Township, Haiyuan County, Ningxia (photo taken on June 29).

Comprehensive report by Sannong Zhitongche: In recent years, Haiyuan County in Ningxia has used modern agricultural techniques such as factory seedling cultivation and water-saving irrigation to develop watermelon and muskmelon planting on gravel-mulched fields, with the melon and fruit planting area reaching 55,000 mu in 2016.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ran

On June 29, farmers select muskmelons at the watermelon and muskmelon base in Fengwan Village, Guanqiao Township, Haiyuan County, Ningxia.