Zhou Fangyuan originally decided to make such a watermelon planting base, the idea was very simple, he just hoped to add some fruit content to Jinbolo's package.

The original idea was not that it needed to be of good quality, and that it was enough to produce and sell it in-house.

But with the development of agriculture in the distance, the people below gave full play to their sense of independence, took the initiative to continuously expand this planting base, and even later moved to the current place, because the watermelon here is the best variety in the surrounding area of Beitong City.

But don't underestimate watermelons.

Few people know that in fact, the watermelon industry also contains great market energy.

In these years, the price of fruits has soared, and a cherry is equal to the price of an egg, which is a horse joking?

Before Zhou Fangyuan was reborn, there were sand sculpture netizens on the Internet shouting to realize the freedom of lychees and fruits, but unfortunately, there are really not many people who can realize the freedom of lychees and fruits, and it is estimated that the only thing people can achieve now is the freedom of watermelons. For many people, iced watermelon and air conditioner are a perfect match for summer, and even those who don't like to eat it can't refuse watermelon in summer. Take a bite from time to time, that's called a cool.

Looking at the world, China is definitely the big brother in the big watermelon country.

The data shows that in the 18-year ranking of China's fruit sales, watermelon ranked first. It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time that watermelon has won the championship, and it has been the No. 1 fruit in sales for many years.

There is a reason why the sales of watermelons are so high, its production area is wide, the taste is delicious, it can cool and quench thirst, the most important thing is that the price is cheap, the price of watermelon in some cities is about 1 yuan per catty, which is very close to the people.

The hot sales of watermelons have also promoted the development of the watermelon industry, and various shapes of watermelons such as squares and hearts have emerged in an endless stream. At the same time, people have also developed ice cream watermelon, which is very peculiar, grows on trees, melts in the mouth, and tastes better when eaten chilled.

Especially in the years before Zhou Fangyuan's rebirth, the development of the watermelon industry became more and more rapid, and gradually developed in the direction of high level and high quality. Some areas have developed a greenhouse watermelon efficient planting model, using the characteristics of the out-of-season, and with the help of technology to plant watermelon, forming differentiated competition, the current annual output value of Taizhou watermelon is more than one trillion yuan, compared with ordinary watermelon, the benefit is higher.

Industry insiders said that in the future, high-end, green, brand, and characteristics are the development path of watermelon quality upgrading, which is also a problem that needs to be tackled for a long time. Some suppliers said that in the future, they will actively provide high-quality products and technical solutions to fruit farmers to help them increase their income.

In only 18 years, the total output value of the watermelon market is roughly estimated to be more than 2 trillion yuan, and there was an article on the Internet at that time that it was estimated that by 2020, China's watermelon output will reach 81.8235 million tons. According to a rough calculation of FAO data, each person consumes an average of more than 100 catties of watermelon per year. I have to say that the name "melon-eating masses" really didn't come out of thin air. In fact, as early as 2013, China's watermelon production ranked first in the world, and the sales volume of the second to tenth countries were not as much as China's, and it was much worse.

This market is much bigger than imagined.

And many people may not know that in fact, watermelon has a very long history of eating in our country.

But it's really hard to say how long.

Because the specific introduction time of watermelon in China has always been the focus of debate in the academic community, there is no conclusion at present.

There is an argument that watermelons were introduced during the Han Dynasty.

The Silk Road was a bridge between China and Asia, Africa and Europe in ancient times for economic, trade and cultural exchanges, and Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent an envoy Zhang Qian to the Western Regions. Broadly speaking, the Silk Road includes the Land Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road. Since the opening of this ancient trade route, a large amount of silk, porcelain, and crops have been introduced or exported to our country through the Silk Road. Countries have sent envoys to each other, and economic, trade and cultural exchanges have been frequent. Some scholars believe that the history of watermelons in China was first sent to the western region by Zhang Qian during the period of Emperor Wu of B.C.

There is also a theory that watermelons were introduced in the fifth generation. This view is mainly based on the record in the watermelon chapter of Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica", which describes that it was brought back to the Central Plains by Hu Qiao.

The third theory is that watermelons were introduced in the Southern Song Dynasty. Hong Hao's "Chronicles of the Pine Desert" records that Hong Hao brought watermelons back to promote the cultivation of the Southern Song Dynasty. According to this clue, some scholars mentioned that not long after Hong Hao returned, records of watermelon cultivation appeared in the Central Plains. It can also be said that the watermelon was brought to the Central Plains by Honghao of the Southern Song Dynasty. Before the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were food records of "cold melon" in China. China's "cold melon" and Africa's "watermelon" were later collectively referred to as the current watermelon.

The three arguments seem to be very reasonable, but one of them should be the most convincing.

According to the records of existing historical materials and the collation of existing research literature, it can be seen that the path of watermelon introduction in China can be roughly divided into land and sea.

In terms of land transmission, watermelons were introduced from Africa to the Mediterranean coast through the Silk Road, and eastward into China's Xinjiang Province. After the Khitan was wiped out, watermelons were introduced, and then spread to the south of the Yellow River. The other is from the Mediterranean region bypassing the curry country and going through the Maritime Silk Road to the eastern coastal areas of our country. However, there is no good basis for this statement, and there is no detailed record in various literatures. However, it cannot be ruled out that watermelons were spread by the sea and introduced into our country.

Moreover, according to various documents and historical materials, it can be roughly judged that from the end of the Tang Dynasty, watermelon cultivation began in Central Asia; after the Five Dynasties, the Khitan obtained watermelon cultivation after the destruction of the Hui Dynasty, and began to plant and eat watermelon; watermelon cultivation and promotion in the Northern Song Dynasty was less, but at this time it should have been planted in the Yanbei and Yellow River Valley; in the Southern Song Dynasty, Hong Hao brought watermelons from the north to the south for planting; in the Yuan Dynasty, in the Jianghuai, Watermelons were grown in the north and south of Zhejiang and Fujian, and after the Ming and Qing dynasties, watermelons were grown all over the country, and many provinces had their own famous varieties of watermelons.

In terms of routes, the route for the introduction of watermelons should be from Africa to West Asia, then to Central Asia, and then to China, generally taking the Silk Road. The Silk Road is a world-famous transportation artery that traverses Asia, Africa and Europe, bringing not only watermelons, but also broad beans, pomegranates, garlic, grapes, alfalfa and other crops into China through this passage.

As for the above-mentioned times, routes, and dynasties, there is actually a sentence.

First of all, there is no sign of watermelon planting and eating in the Tang Dynasty in my country, which should be very accurate.

Since the 60s of the last century, archaeological reports such as Hemudu cultural sites, Liangzhu cultural sites, and many Western Han tombs have reported that watermelon seeds have been found. After careful re-examination and identification by scholars, most of these so-called watermelon seeds are winter melon seeds, and none of them can be confirmed to belong to watermelons. In the pre-Qin era of our country, there was no awareness of the variety of melons, and many of them were collectively referred to as them. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, there have been varieties of varieties, and there are more than 20 kinds of dragon liver, tiger palm, sheep horse, rabbit head, raccoon dog, honey tube, Guazhou melon, Qingdeng, etc. There is no name similar to "watermelon", and there is no clear and recognizable watermelon trait in relevant records.

In addition, there is a new statement, saying that China's watermelon began to spread to Xinjiang Province is unproven in history.

The species of watermelon was first native to Africa, then first introduced in Egypt, the Middle East and other places, and then spread to the Asian continent in two ways. Central Asian Khorezm, Bukhara and Samarkand are the most famous watermelon producing areas in Asia, which can be regarded as the birthplace of Asian watermelons, and now belong to Uzbekistan. Historians record that the earliest time when Khorezm watermelons were abundant is equivalent to the Middle Tang Dynasty in China, and the actual prosperity time should be earlier.

Based on the erroneous statement that Liao Taizu's westward expedition to Futu City, from Khorezm in Central Asia to Xinjiang in China, and then to Liaoshangjing in northeast China, three places with basically the same latitude, completed the relay of watermelons to the east in one century from the early ninth century to the early tenth century of Liao Taizu's westward expedition, which is a relatively reasonable process.

But many people say that this claim is far from reliable. The Great Dictionary of Turkic Languages has entries for melons and cucumbers, and although watermelons are mentioned, there is no specific entry for watermelons. The so-called claim that watermelon seeds were unearthed from the ancient tomb of Astana is even more nonsense. The clear record of the appearance of watermelons in Xinjiang Province is the Yuan people's "Journey to the West of Changchun", which is in the early thirteenth century, and the watermelons in Xinjiang Province have been lackluster since then. Not only Xinjiang Province, but even the northwest provinces and regions, there is no record of abundant watermelons, and there is even a saying that "there is no watermelon in the west of Longxi".

In fact, to put it bluntly, watermelon still has a high requirement for moisture. Although watermelons are best grown, loose soil or even sandy soil, this does not mean that watermelons do not like water. Watermelon is special in that it must have good breathing space at the root and enough water to nourish it, unlike crusty melons such as cantaloupe that are drought tolerant. Watermelon is also a fresh fruit, with a large moisture content, which is not resistant to storage and transportation, and large-scale planting requires a relatively concentrated consumer group. However, the Western Regions are vast and sparsely populated, and the consumer population is scattered, making it difficult to plant and develop in a large area.

The so-called statement that China's Xinjiang region was rich in watermelons in the Tang Dynasty is undocumented and not credible.

Beyond Xinjiang Province, watermelons directly spread from Central Asia to the Orkhon River Valley of Mongolia and the area of the former capital of Huifu, which should be a very special situation that requires abnormal opportunities and methods.

Many people believe that the most plausible possibility is that the Manichaean missionaries from Central Asia brought watermelon seeds directly from Central Asia to the Orkhon River valley, where the Hui Ya Tent in Mobei is located, where they took root and spread the seeds.

Manichaeism, also known as Mingjiao, was introduced to East Asia around the 6th and 7th centuries AD because of its worship of the bright moon and light. After the Tang Dynasty, it was officially introduced into China in the first year, and the initial spread in the Tang Dynasty was not smooth, and the imperial court had explicitly banned it in the twentieth year of the Kaiyuan Dynasty. However, Mobei Huifu has a soft spot for it, such as a treasure. Zong Guangde of the Tang Dynasty was introduced from the Tang Dynasty in the first year and respected as the state religion, which lasted for nearly 80 years. This was the most favored period since Manichaeism was introduced to East Asia, and it was also the most prosperous period of the Mobei Hui.

Manichaeism advocates vegetarianism and advocates melon food, believing that "there are many light molecules in melons" and "especially watermelons and cucumbers, and that light molecules are concentrated in these melons".

Watermelon was a new variety of melon and fruit in Central Asia at that time, which should be valued by Manichaean missionaries, and Bukhara and Samarkand, which were rich in watermelons, were the locations of the Manichaean Central Asian Church at that time. This kind of geographical coincidence made the watermelon abundant in Central Asia have a relatively close connection with the Manichaean faith, and it happened that at this time, the Mobei Hui Khanate respected Mani as the state religion, which was undoubtedly a God-given opportunity for the watermelon to spread eastward to the Mongolian Plateau. Manichaeism abstained from meat and cheese, and these strict dietary requirements were undoubtedly extremely difficult for nomadic and hunter-hunting peoples like the Hui, who relied on beef, mutton, and milk as their staple food.

It is not difficult to imagine that in order to repay the favor of the Hui Khan and attract more nomadic believers, the Manichaean Order will work hard to bring the watermelons abundant in Central Asia back to the core of the Hui Khan. At that time, the frequent travel of faculty and staff between the two places should be the most practical and reliable opportunity for watermelon seeds to spread eastward.

A fragment of a miniature painting found in the ancient city of Gaochang depicting a scene from the Manichaean festival of Pima, now in Berlin, Germany.

The festival of Pima is the most important festival of Manichaeism, held every year in March to commemorate the martyrdom of Manichaeism, the founder of Manichaeism. In the center of the picture, there is a table for food offerings, among which a three-legged golden basin contains melons and fruits, the bottom layer is three yellow melons, the middle is purple grapes, and the top layer is a green and black watermelon, which shows the important position of watermelons in the hearts of Manichaeans.

The Orkhon River valley area in Mobei is fertile, rich in water and grass, and has the foundation of agricultural production, and is densely populated at that time, with a large concentration of industry and commerce.

Such a scene is very close to the fertile valley between the Amu and Syr rivers where Khorezm and Bukhara and Samarkand are located in Central Asia, and the latitude is not too high, which is the natural ecological and social living soil for the cultivation and spread of fresh fruits such as watermelon, which are not resistant to drought and storage and transportation.

Therefore, some people will think that watermelons entered China by chance.

Of course, whether it is a coincidence or a serious introduction through the Silk Road, it is an indisputable fact that China is now the world's largest producer and consumer of watermelons.

With a market size of two trillion yuan, just a watermelon kills how many industries in seconds? Before, Zhou Fangyuan didn't think it was a big deal, but it wasn't until he saw last year's annual report that he suddenly realized that watermelons were also so profitable. But how to say it, the market is large, there are many employees, and the situation is very complicated. Unlike the Internet industry, watermelon is an ancient industry with a history of many, many years. The distant group dared to go deep into it, and that was a joke.

So when the people below said that they wanted to continue to expand the scale, Zhou Fangyuan stopped them.

As for the money, it is inexhaustible, some industries are in the ascendant, some industries are in crisis, and some industries themselves are easy to enter, these can be the goals of the distant group. But the watermelon industry is all over the country, first of all, it is impossible for Yuanfang Group to really win too many melon fields. The second is that this industry has been in this industry for too long, and the forces of all parties have already divided the territory, and if you go in now, you are going to fight with others, and the Yuanfang Group may not be afraid of these local snakes, but why bother? To make money, there are other methods, and the Yuanfang Group is now involved in agriculture and grain is already dangerous, to be honest, it is not very safe before it really becomes bigger and stronger. If this is a mess with the local snake in the watermelon market, it will be really a bit troublesome.

Therefore, the watermelon planting industry of Yuanfang Group is only limited to the current planting base, whether it is for self-use or external sales, the scale is small, the profit is small, and it is not easy to attract the attention of other parties, which is very good.