Turkey: Yellow watermelon special fruit of ancient seed

By Muhsin Arslan

BILECIK, Turkey (AA) - Farmers in northwestern Turkey are hoping to power-up fruit sales with help from an ancient seed.

Work is ongoing to harvest special watermelons sporting a yellow skin using an ancestral seed used by farmers in centuries past, said Necmettin Yoldas, the state agriculture and forest director in Bilecik, a province in northwestern Turkey.

“We should contribute to the agricultural economy of our province by giving prominence to highly productive value-added goods,” Yoldas added.

“We will always stand with our producing farmers,” he said.

The yellow watermelon seeds are reportedly capable of adapting to the environmental conditions of the region.

In ancient times, yellow watermelon was cultivated before the red variety, which is a Turkish favorite.

High in vitamins A and C and beta carotene, it is a nutrition powerhouse, and is low-cal, at just 46 calories a serving.

Yellow watermelon has a sweeter flavor and a thicker rind than the red variety.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin