Watermelon

Channel 1: Farmers → Collectors/ small wholesalers → Local packing houses →Distributing wholesalers or inter-provincial traders → Supermarkets/ Retailers →Consumers

Most research has been conducted at temperatures between 10 and 16o C at a relative humidity between 85-90%. Temperatures below 10o C , can result in chilling injury to the fruit (pitting of the skin, flesh breakdown and blackrot).

Watermelon should be cooled to between 12-15o C within 24 hours of harvesting, if they are to be stored for long periods of time. Fruit can get over-ripe fairly quickly if not cooled. However, watermelon colour will continue to improve for up to 7 days after harvesting if kept at temperatures of 18-22o C , but it will actually fade (get lighter) if kept at temperatures of below 12o C for long periods of time.

Watermelons will keep for 2-3 weeks if stored at between 12 - 15o C. Under the ideal conditions of 7 ° C and a relative humidity of 80 to 90 per cent melons can be stored for up to two weeks.