Weekend Long Read: A Soaked Market for Central China’s Watermelon Farmers

At the watermelon trading market in Zhangshi town, Kaifeng, Henan province, every melon farmer is an expert at waiting.

Long before the sun rises, the roadsides fill with the hum of tricycles and the anxious murmurs of farmers. Many arrive as early as 4 a.m., securing a spot to sell their freshly picked harvest. What follows is a grueling test of endurance — waiting for buyers who may never arrive, while those that do barter for deals that yield painfully little return.

Just after 4 a.m. on July 30, as the sky gradually lightens, watermelon farmers in Zhangshi gather by the roadside, waiting for buyers. Photo: Zheng Haipeng/Caixin