On 24 August 2017, Hainan's newest breed entered the market: Meiyue mini watermelons. While the price for large, sweet watermelons from northern China ranges between 0.32 and 1.9 yuan per 500 gram, the price for Hainan's local mini watermelons has reached 7 to 8 yuan per 500 gram. The net profit per mu is over 30.000 yuan, which is 4 to 25 times as much as the local profit.
The mini watermelons are sold in supermarkets for 8.98 yuan per 500 gram. The weight of one melon is around 1 to 1.5 kilogram. The largest characteristics of these watermelons are that its skin is only 0.3 centimeter thick and they are relatively sweet.
The breed that Hainan is now growing has been brought in from Taiwan over 20 years ago. Its product quality is good for the high-end market. However, the skin is a disadvantage, as it is easily damaged in long distance transport.
