Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Exploding watermelons put spotlight on Chinese farming practices
The Guardian ^ | May 17, 2011 | Jonathan Watts

Posted on 05/17/2011 9:14:50 AM PDT by Parmenio

The flying pips, shattered shells and wet shrapnel still haunt farmer Liu Mingsuo after an effort to chemically boost his fruit crop went spectacularly wrong.

Fields of watermelons exploded when he and other agricultural workers in eastern China mistakenly applied forchlorfenuron, a growth accelerator....The report said the farmers sprayed the fruit too late in the season and during wet conditions, which caused the melons to explode like "landmines". After losing three hectares (eight acres), Liu said he was unable to sleep because he could not shake the image of the fruit bursting.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: china; napl; watermelon
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last
To: Parmenio
Kinda reminds me of somebody ...


21 posted on 05/17/2011 9:39:39 AM PDT by Lmo56 (If ya wanna run with the big dawgs - ya gotta learn to piss in the tall grass ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ErnBatavia

Gallagher should sue the Chinese for endangerment. They’re trying to make the melons explode BEFORE he gets ‘em with the Sledge-O-Matic.

(Lame attempt at humor)


22 posted on 05/17/2011 9:40:04 AM PDT by hoagy62 (Help stamp out crack-pull up your pants.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio

In China it is pretty well understood that you don’t buy watermellons by weight, you buy them by the each price. That is because it is easy to inject a watermelon with water and the water is obviously not good where the farmers are located.

Guess the market figured out a way to get around that common knowledge and resorted to using the substance reported in this article.


23 posted on 05/17/2011 9:40:21 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio

On the other hand, who in their right mind would eat a U.S. grown chicken?! Talk about injected.

Although none to my knowledge have blown up so maybe it is not as bad as exploding watermelons.


24 posted on 05/17/2011 9:42:29 AM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

It is threads like this that make Free Republic my destination of choice on the Internet.


25 posted on 05/17/2011 9:44:19 AM PDT by rlmorel (Capitalism is the Goose that lays The Golden Egg.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Yo-Yo

With all due respect to Gunny Ermey, he needs to blouse those M42s to showcase the Corcorans! Although I do appreciate him showing of the M1A1...a vastly underappreciated weapon :-)


26 posted on 05/17/2011 9:45:45 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: gunsequalfreedom

27 posted on 05/17/2011 9:51:00 AM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Slings and Arrows

26 posts and no one has pinged you to exploding Chinese watermelons. This place ain’t what it used to be.


28 posted on 05/17/2011 9:51:10 AM PDT by Pan_Yan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio

LOL,

For those that oppose the government mandating specific food labeling, I support the government forcing food stores to label Chinese imported food as “Grown in China” or something similar. I definitely want to avoid any food imported from there.


29 posted on 05/17/2011 9:51:34 AM PDT by sickoflibs ("It's not the taxes, the redistribution is the federal spending=tax delayed")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lazmataz

Here’s a “feel better” ping for you.


30 posted on 05/17/2011 9:54:49 AM PDT by Albion Wilde (Thank you, Dubya and U.S. military. You did not falter. You did not fail.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: humblegunner; TheMom; Eaker; Hap; Bacon Man; Allegra

Exploding Fruit ping


31 posted on 05/17/2011 9:56:35 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio
Maybe they were blown up by the 350 1010 crowd because they didn’t believe in man-made global warming.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/10/04/controversial-uk-ad-shows-children-workers-athletes-blown-joining-climate/

32 posted on 05/17/2011 10:04:32 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (The only crimes that are 100% preventable are crimes committed by illegal aliens)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio

Somebody needs to tell Dave Barry. I have an old column (Break out the dynamite: another exploding animal tale) that’s a riot!


33 posted on 05/17/2011 10:08:14 AM PDT by Twotone (Marte Et Clypeo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio

After gun powder exploding watermelons, what is next for the Chinese.


34 posted on 05/17/2011 10:09:37 AM PDT by JayAr36 (Education is what we had before educators. Mark Steyn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JACKRUSSELL

China ping!

The line about farmers keeping their own gardens seperate is especially revealing.


35 posted on 05/17/2011 10:10:59 AM PDT by Ellendra (Remember the Battle of Athens, Tennessee: Aug. 2, 1946)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio

“Liu said he was unable to sleep because he could not shake the image of the fruit bursting.”

This sounds like some really deep personal issues.


36 posted on 05/17/2011 10:15:40 AM PDT by Psalm 144 (Your party left you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Buckeye McFrog
maybe we should cultivate these along the Mexican Border...

Great idea!!
37 posted on 05/17/2011 10:15:57 AM PDT by goldfinch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: boycott
"Over 50% of the inspected fish they send us is rejected. Far less than 1% of the fish is ever inspected.

They’ll take their chances with less than 1% inspected.

SCARY we have such high demands on our food producers but allow their deadly slop to be sent to us.

"

On sale now at your local WAL*MART.

38 posted on 05/17/2011 10:27:12 AM PDT by matthew fuller (Tagline expired!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio

No Chinese food in our house.


39 posted on 05/17/2011 10:40:53 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Eh ?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Parmenio
Many wary consumers choose to buy foreign products, which are seen as safer. But this is also vulnerable to mislabelling. The Fruit Industry Association of Guangdong province told reporters this week that "most 'imported' fruit are grown in China".

I wonder if this happens here, in reverse - imported Chinese food labeled as grown in the USA.

40 posted on 05/17/2011 10:46:31 AM PDT by roadcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson