Watermelon Season in Danger: Virus Affects About 20% of Agricultural Areas in Israel

SadaNews Translation - An unprecedented outbreak of a virus has affected about 20% of watermelon farming areas in Israel, resulting in losses estimated in the millions of shekels, according to a report by the Hebrew economic newspaper Calcalist.

According to data from the "Keenet" Agricultural Natural Damage Insurance Fund, approval has been given to destroy over 1,000 dunams of watermelon farming areas so far, representing about 10% of the total watermelon farming areas in Israel.

Calcalist stated, according to SadaNews translation, "This represents an unusual combination of two severe natural disasters that have hit the sector at the same time: a sharp decline in the yield due to weather conditions, alongside a severe outbreak of a virus affecting cucurbits, for which there are few means to combat."

The damage to the watermelon farming sector began in March, characterized by overcast skies and relatively cool temperatures. These weather conditions severely affected watermelon farming, resulting in a drastic and significant decrease in yield.

The damage was primarily concentrated in the warmer areas where the first watermelons ripen in the season, specifically the northern Bekaa Valley and the Spring Valley, regions that experienced very little watermelon production during the early harvest season in May.

In addition to the damage caused by weather conditions, this year has seen an unprecedented severe outbreak of a virus affecting cucurbit crops, including watermelon. This virus spreads periodically between fields, but its outbreak this year was exceptional and widespread, reaching five to six times the annual average.

The Keenet Fund indicated that some reasons for this severe outbreak are due to the climatic conditions and the resistance of the viruses that have developed.

The virus directly affects the texture and taste of the watermelon. The watermelon becomes mealy, looks unripe, and may sometimes appear white on the inside or have yellow streaks that give it an overly ripe appearance.

The Keenet Fund clarified that this virus only affects the texture and taste of the watermelon, making it unmarketable. This damage has currently been observed in agricultural lands spread across "Israel."

The watermelon marketing season extends from mid-April to August. As of today, there are still large agricultural areas across "Israel" where the fruits have not yet ripened, and the greatest fear is that this damage may not be discovered until later, at the time of harvest during the summer months.