Heard of yellow watermelons? Basavraj Patil, a farmer in Karnataka is growing ‘yellow watermelons’ scientifically. Basavraj is a graduate from Koralli village in Kalaburagi and he earns high profits from the scientifically cultivated yellow watermelons. Let’s check out the story…
Watermelons, scientifically known as Citrullus lanatus are actually having its roots in Africa. Eventually, the fruit is highly cultivated worldwide, with over 1,000 varieties. Now coming to the yellow watermelon, the colour ranges from pale yellow to slightly golden. They may have edible, brown-black seeds or can be totally seedless.
The yellow watermelons are rich in nutrition and taste. The yellow watermelon is high in vitamins A and C, which can support the immune system and skin health. And this Yellow fellow contains more beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that can fight cancer and eye diseases.
Patil claims that yellow watermelons are sweeter than their red cousins. “These taste sweeter than red watermelons,” he says. The yellow watermelons have a green rind similar to the red ones, however, their flesh is yellow. Patil invested around Rs. 2 lakh in the production of the watermelons. After production, he sells his crop in nearby shops and stores. Thus he earns a profit of Rs. 1 lakh.
He believes that farmers should diversify crop production in India. He said, “We should diversify our crop production in India.”
Earlier, an engineer-turned farmer, Nitesh Borkar from Goa had also cultivated yellow watermelons organically. He cultivated over 250 yellow watermelons without using any chemical fertilisers. He had invested Rs 4,000 in the farming project and earned more than Rs 30,000 from sales. This is not just about producing the highly nutritious fruit, it’s a profitable and environment-friendly business too.
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