In Tashkent, the Eski Zhuva market has started the season for trading watermelons and melons. The market is filled with watermelons of various varieties and large melons brought from Jizzakh.
Details of Market Trade
Entrepreneur Doston Nosirov provided information on available varieties, their weight, and current prices. The trade of watermelons and melons has intensified during the summer period, as fresh harvest is delivered to the market every morning. Sellers unload the produce from trucks onto stalls and assist buyers in selecting ripe fruits.
Available Varieties and Prices
At the market, one can find watermelon varieties such as 'chillaki', 'qukcha', 'guloba', 'handalak', and 'obinavot'. According to Doston Nosirov, farmers have harvested a high-quality and sweet crop this year. One of the most sought-after varieties during the summer season is 'chillaki', which received its name because it ripens during the hottest period of summer—chilla.
Watermelons of the 'chillaki' variety have an average weight of three to eight kilograms. Their price is 5 thousand sums per kilogram, but by negotiating with the buyer, an eight-kilogram watermelon can be purchased for 30–35 thousand sums. The 'obinavot' variety, grown in the Syrdarya region farms, is also offered at a price of 5 thousand sums per kilogram. The price for the 'qukcha' variety approaches 7 thousand sums per kilogram.
Melon Trade
Melons from the Jizzakh region have also arrived at the stalls. They are sold at approximately 3.5 thousand sums per kilogram. The average weight of one melon is eight to ten kilograms, and its cost reaches 30–35 thousand sums. Doston Nosirov emphasized that one melon averages 30–35 thousand sums, although some buyers prefer smaller sizes, while others look for large and fleshy specimens.
General Market Atmosphere
The market has a characteristic summer trading atmosphere: stalls are laden with watermelons and melons, sellers are busy unloading and arranging the new harvest, and buyers are selecting ripe and sweet fruits.
