Marketing Watermelons

As most watermelons are sold uncut, consumers buy them according to size and colour.

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In the past, the Congo variety was a leading large watermelon and Charleston Gray, with its light green rind, was a close second. Then came Allsweet, which has darker green blotches in rows across its length.

Being less variable in quality than Congo, Allsweet soon became popular with consumers. Farmers also liked it, because it was easier to grow. Inevitably, the earlier varieties became less popular.

Another watermelon variety is Crimson Sweet. This tends to be round or oval in shape, and has a distinctive pattern of various shades of green. It weighs about 12kg, whereas Allsweet is around 15kg. Crimson Sweet is reliable and makes very good eating.