Nothing is more cooling for the people of the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2018 than the watermelon season which brought in double produce this year compared to previous years as well as a significant improvement in the quality of produce.
In an interview with the PIC reporter agricultural experts confirmed that the watermelon season in the Gaza Strip this year had a certificate of excellence that it didn’t have in the recent years characterized by abundant production and higher quality which allowed it to be the best produce in Gaza in years.
Quality of plantation
Engineer Nizar al-Wahidi director of the General Administration of Soil and Irrigation at the Ministry of Agriculture stressed to the PIC reporter that his ministry has worked on a new mechanism to grow watermelons and protect it from diseases this season; the ministry has been working on a new mechanism of cultivation which protects the produce and makes it more resistant to pesticides much more than it was in the previous years.
Al-Wahidi confirmed that the watermelon planted in the Gaza Strip bears a certificate of clearance from toxic diseases and pesticides. He pointed out that samples were collected from different agricultural areas in Gaza and sent to the 1948 occupied territories (Israel) for tests.
On the complaints of citizens that watermelon this year was less sweet he stressed that the quality of production including size and cleanliness was the most important factors for the ministry pointing out that the climate contributed to the level of sweetness of watermelon where it was not suitable for the production of sweet watermelon this year.
Abundance of produce
In addition to quality watermelon in the Gaza Strip this year was also characterized by its abundance as never before as confirmed by the director general of marketing and crossings at the Ministry of Agriculture Tahseen al-Sakka pointing out that more than 6000 dunums have been planted with watermelon this year.
He pointed out in a statement to the PIC that the amount of production reached more than 60000 tons double the size last year which saw the production of 35000 tons.
He highlighted the quality and size of watermelon this year which was distinguished by using the best agricultural mechanism pointing out that the Gaza Strip has reached the stage of self-sufficiency in that produce.
The price of watermelon this year is appropriate to the people of Gaza who live in a tragic situation due to the ongoing siege by Israel and sanctions by the PA.
