Chinese farmers in the country's eastern Jiangsu Province have lost acres of their watermelons after the fruits started exploding one by one.


Although the China Central Television blamed the problem on overuse of a certain chemical, agriculture experts said the weather and abnormal size of the melons were the reason behind the eerie incident.

A report by the China Central Television said farmers were using too much of the growth promoter chemical so that they could get their fruit to market ahead of the peak season and increase their profits.

According to the Xinhua, 20 farmers in a Jiangsu village planted imported seeds from Japan, from whom 10 households said their watermelons began exploding last month.

Farmer Liu Mingsuo told Xinhua that more than two-thirds of his crop had blown up after he used chemicals to boost their growth.

"On May 7, I came out and counted 80 (burst watermelons) but by the afternoon it was 100," Liu told CCTV. "Two days later I didn't bother to count anymore."

Liu is, however, the only farmer from the 10 households who used chemicals. Experts cannot explain why the chemical-free watermelons have the same fate as the non-chemical ones.

China has approved the use of growth chemical under certain quotas and tests conducted so far show that the chemical is safe.

People, however, are more concerned about food safety and experts believe a quality tracking system should be introduced to ensure food safety and inform the public about all stages of the food chain.
[img]http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20110518/ebrahimpour20110518081837280.jpg[/img]

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/180534.html

*shudders* There's probably a good explanation for the occurence but still *shudders* lol.

Maybe it was the square watermelons they started making few years ago . . .

Square Fruit Stuns Japanese Shoppers 
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-317075.0.html

Huh, talk about Green Grenade.
That's quite a loss.