Farmers in one of Romania's most watermelon-abundant regions are struggling as their crops matured simultaneously, resulting in an oversaturated market and drastically reduced prices.

The southern Romanian town of Dăbuleni is renowned nationwide for producing the country's finest watermelons, but this year, demand has plummeted.

All of the town's watermelons ripened around the same time, leading to an overwhelming supply. As a result, many growers ended up discarding large quantities of melons, despite prices being at an all-time low.

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Typically, one kilogram of watermelon sells for 3-4 Romanian Leu (€0.60-0.80), but this year, the price has dropped to around €0.10-0.16, and even at these prices, sellers are struggling to move their stock.

One Dăbuleni resident expressed regret having to discard four tonnes of melons while desperately trying to sell another four at just €0.15 per kg.

“It is making me feel sick.” they said.

At a local market, numerous carts and trailers loaded with watermelons sit under the sun, waiting for buyers. Some melons have already spoiled and been discarded.

Growers attribute the issue to this year's unpredictable weather, which caused all the crops in the town's sandy fields to ripen at once, leading to an oversupply and intense competition among sellers. This situation is dire for those who rely on the crop for their livelihood.

Data from the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture indicates that watermelons from Dăbuleni and its surrounding areas account for 16% of the country's total production.

A recent Romanian Statistical Yearbook revealed that Romania produces 22.8% of all watermelons in the European Union — meaning this issue could have wider implications for the entire union.