Yilan farmer grows mini watermelons with edible rind

Yilan farmer grows mini watermelons with edible rind

2026-08-28

A farmer in Yilan grows mini watermelons that are just 5 to 15 cm in diameter. Not only are they juicy and sweet, but the rind is even edible! The Yilan branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency held an event to promote the new watermelons, with many people enjoying the bite-sized summer treat.

Fruit is a great snack in the hot summer, but this watermelon looks much smaller than normal. A farmer holds one smaller than the palm of his hand, biting into it to show it’s ripe.

Lots of people are trying these mini watermelons, just one-third the size of a normal one. They’re sweet and juicy with a very thin and edible rind, plus they’re organic.

Cheng Chao-tung
Yilan farmer
This is a next-generation variety developed by crossbreeding a foreign variety. It’s called a mini watermelon, or mini ball. I call it a couple’s watermelon, because it’s too much for one person, but just right for two.

Cheng grows the mini watermelons in a greenhouse. They average around 15 cm in diameter, with some as small as 5 cm. They’re sweeter than most watermelons and just the right size for two people to share.

Cheng Chao-tung
Yilan farmer
Because the rind is so thin, if we grow them outdoors, they can crack easily, especially with all the rain in Yilan. The plants are also more vulnerable to pests and diseases, so growing them in a greenhouse protects them and helps them produce better fruit. Once you chill them, they get even crispier and sweeter. I’d say they have one of the finest textures of any watermelon grown in Taiwan.

The Yilan branch of the Agriculture and Food Agency held an event recently to promote these watermelons and other organic produce from the area, showing the skill of Yilan’s farmers.

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