Square watermelons are actual watermelon fruits that are grown into square shapes. They are not genetically modified at all. Instead, the watermelons are placed into glass cube containers so that the watermelons take the form of the containers. Japanese farmers began to grow and sell square watermelons in 1981, at a price equivalent to about $83 US Dollars (USD) each. The purpose of the square watermelons was to make them easier to stack and ship, as well as to preserve refrigerator space. The high price of square watermelons is a main reason why they are not widely purchased, and farmers typically use other options for saving space. For example, American farmers often grow small watermelons that will fit on standard refrigerator shelves for convenience purposes.
More about watermelons:
- The watermelon is thought to have originated in ancient Egypt, and hieroglyphics of watermelons are depicted on the walls of ancient Egyptian buildings.
- Watermelons consist of about 92% water.
- Other shapes of watermelons have been created, including pyramid-shape watermelons.