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The watermelon is a symbol of the region of Kherson Oblast, Ukraine. More than 50% of the watermelons in Ukraine are produced in Kherson Oblast and are shipped upriver to Kyiv.
Since 24 July 2024, the Kherson watermelon has an appellation of origin in Ukraine, [1] meaning that all stages of its production process are guaranteed to take place in its area of origin, which exclusively determines the product's characteristic qualities. [2] Specifically, it is grown on sandy soils of Kakhovka, Kherson, and Skadovsk raions, yielding dense, crunchy, and sweet (at least 12 °Bx) fruits. Kherson watermelons are round or slightly oblong, with an elongation ratio of 1 to 1.2. The nitrate content is limited to 40 mg/kg. [3]
Watermelons were thought to have been introduced by Crimean Tatars – a Turkic ethnic group and an indigenous peoples of Crimea – before the 18th century. During World War II, residents of the Kherson region would make molasses or jam from boiled-down watermelons when there were restrictions on sugar usage. Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2022, a yearly tradition was televised, with a barge full of watermelons leaving Kherson for Kyiv along the Dnieper river. [4]
During the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent Russian occupation, farmers in the region who usually produced watermelons were unable to do so. The watermelon became a symbol of Kherson. [5] [6] [7] [8] At the Ukrainian stand at COP27, a watermelon was displayed with a Ukrainian flag. [9] The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, joked upon arriving in newly liberated Kherson in November 2022 that he travelled there because he "wanted a watermelon". [4] [10] Ukrposhta, the Ukrainian national postal services company, released watermelon-themed stamps commemorating the liberation of Kherson. [11]
