Many centuries ago, various varieties of melons and watermelons were created in Turkmenistan, which give a rich harvest in local climatic conditions, as well as long-term storage and suitable for transportation. In the 17th-19th centuries, as a result of selection selection, Turkmen farmers cultivated such well-known varieties of melons as "Vakharman", "Bishek", "Gok Gulyabi", "Garrygyz", as well as dozens of other varieties. Currently, over 1600 varieties of melons are registered in the world melon growing, of which 400 varieties are Turkmen melons, and now the work on the selection of seeds is carried out by experienced melon growers and scientists - breeders. They create new varieties of melons and watermelons and improve old ones. Maral Orazbayeva, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, talks about how melon growing is developing:

- Our great-grandfathers - the heirs of Babadaykhan (the patron saint of agriculture) left us in inheritance beautiful samples of various varieties of Turkmen melons, among which there are amazing in taste and aroma. The fame of these "heavenly" treats is known far beyond the borders of the country. Historical annals indicate that one of the valuable goods transported by caravans along the Silk Road was these sweet fruits. The Arab traveler Ibn Batuta, who lived in the 15th century, wrote about the Turkmen melons: “Neither in the East nor in the West there are equal to Urgench melons. They are cut into slices and dried in the sun, and then packed in baskets and sent to India and China. "

Thanks to the attention and care of the President of the country Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the former glory of this excellent treat is revived again, special attention is paid to growing rich crops of Turkmen melons. The leader of the nation has repeatedly pointed out the need to achieve a situation where the state will receive significant profits not only from the production and sale of grain and cotton, but also from the cultivation of fruits and vegetables and melons.

The Dashoguz land has always been famous for its generous harvests of agricultural crops, and to this day it remains so. Kunyaurgench, Shasenem, Diyarbekir - these farming areas have a rich history. For thousands of years, melons and watermelons have been grown on these lands along with barley, wheat and other agricultural crops. It is noteworthy that in these regions they differ not only in their taste and aroma, but also in the duration of storage. As experience shows, melons collected on these lands can be stored for another 200-210 days.

Among the wonderful varieties of Dashoguz melons, the “gurbek” melon variety stands out. Several varieties of this variety are grown here - white, spotted, gray, black. These melons are smooth, egg-shaped with a greenish tinge, the outer rind is covered with a patterned net. It ripens in 90-100 days and produces a high yield.

The black "Gulyabi" has an average weight of 5.5-6 kilograms, the peel is covered with a large mesh pattern, the ripe melon has a dark green color, dense flesh, the ripening period of the black "Gulyabi" is 100-105 days. Melon has a high yield, the longer it is stored, the sweeter it becomes.

Dashoguz "Gulyabi" has a dark green color, its peel is hard, after ripening, the melon can be stored for 3-4 months, the flesh becomes sweet to the crust. Over time, it does not lose its qualities and is suitable for long-term transportation.

Melons of the Dashoguz variety "iri" are popular among the people as Mykhmansovar. The melons are very large in shape, the average weight is 9-10 kilograms, the ripening period is 110-120 days, its rind is covered with net ligature, the color of ripe melons is mainly yellow with wide black stripes, the flesh is white, dense. The longer it lasts, the higher its sugar content.

Melon "akgash" - large, weighs 3-4 kilograms, smooth peel, yellow color, covered with a black pattern, ripening period 95-100 days,

This list of the wonderful fruits of the Dashoguz land can be continued, since a wide variety of melons grow in the northern region of the country. Each variety differs in its quality, taste, shape. Nevertheless, they all decorate our markets and the festive sachak with dignity.

The Almighty gave the Turkmen people a wonderful gift - sweet and juicy melons. These melons are grown in many countries around the world. But none of them can compete in their taste, as well as in other qualities, with Turkmen melons. This means that they are the property of our people. It is our sacred duty to pass on the experience of growing these delicious delicacies to the next generation.

Prepared by Vladimir Komarov