Growers in one of Romania's most watermelon-rich regions are suffering as their crops ripened simultaneously, leading to an oversaturated market and significantly slashed prices.
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00:00In the southern Romanian town of Dabuleni, hundreds of watermelons fill trailers and carts.
00:07Some will go to the market for sale, while others will be discarded in the gutter, left to rot.
00:13An over-saturation of the fruit has pushed prices down and left farmers in the lurch.
00:2060-80 RON depends on the fruit.
00:23Has it gone bad?
00:25It's gone bad, yes.
00:26For example, this one costs 70 RON and I don't want to sell it.
00:29I have 4 tons.
00:314 tons? And how many did you throw away?
00:34I threw them away in the transport.
00:36So these...
00:37Yes, 4 tons.
00:38Do you feel sorry for them?
00:39No.
00:40We don't feel sorry for the watermelon.
00:43Local growers say that watermelons ripened in the region at the same time,
00:48causing an over-saturated market.
00:59Fruit is being sold for 3.50 RON or 70 EUR per kilo.
01:06While shoppers enjoy the price, they lament how it will impact growers.
01:10Well, it's easy. A man works and he has to earn his living.
01:13What can he do?
01:14Many locals are hoping that next season will bear more financial fruit.