SUCCESS STORY on VALUE ADDITION TO WATERMELON –
An Innovation for better livelihood for Rural Poor
Submitted to: Project Director
DRDA, Deogarh
Submitted by: Suvendu Kumar Jena
C.E. – DSMS – Cum –
Project Manager (Marketing & Skill)
OLM, DRDA, Deogarh
Introduction
Since the formation of newly district Deogarh during the year 1992, the economics of the Deogarh
District mostly depends upon the Agricultural, Horticultural and Forest resources. There is no big or
small industries are available in the districts. So, the livelihood of the people depends upon the products
available from the agriculture, Horticulture and from forest resources. So, there is lot of scope for the
value addition to such products, in returns it will increases the income of the rural people of the deogarh
district.
Looking into the product availability, people’s involvement & integrity and quick visibility of the
activity, watermelon is chosen to be the most potential for the value added watermelon products like
Sauce, Jam, Jelly, Pickles etc, because such products have good demand in the market and watermelon
is plentily available as raw material for processing. After discussion with SHG groups involved in the
food processing like sauce, squash jamm jelly from mango, tomato, chilly, fish and orange, DSMS
decided to make it as an activity with initial intervention of manual grading, collective marketing,
processing, packaging and market link up with regular traders of major markets. Then machines
machines & equipments will be arranged by the SHG with capital subsidy from APICOL through ATMA,
Deogarh. ORMAS will help the SHG for the product & packaging development and market linkage only.
Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) (Thumb) is an important cucurbitaceous crop, whose fruits serve as a
dessert to the common people in summer. The people consume the inner red flesh of the fruit
discarding the seeds and the rind. The fruits are consumed mainly in their fresh form. The water melon
flesh and seeds are said to have medicinal properties. Watermelon is a juicy fruit and act as a body
coolant. In Arabian countries, the red flesh boiled with honey, sugar and rose water is used as a
medicine for fever. Consumption of watermelon flesh will help to reduce typhoid (Dr Nadcurni in
Materia Medica.). This is a very good diuretic. Consuming water melon flesh with cumin water and little
sugar is effective against urinary infections and other complaints. Seeds also posses medicinal
properties. Consuming 10 numbers of seeds ground well with milk is effective against hypertension.
Similarly consuming 5g dried seed powder in milk or ghee will give relief from urinary infections
Nutritive Value of Watermelon
nutritive value(per 100g of edible portion) moisture (g) 95.8 Protein (g) 0.2, Fat (g) 0.2, Minerals (g) 0.3
Fiber (g) 0.2, Carbohydrate (g) 3.3, Energy (Kcal) 16, Calcium (mg) 11, Phosphorus (mg) 12, Iron(mg) 7.9 .
Physico-Chemical Characters
On an average the red flesh constitute 55% of the fruit weight. The white rind, constitute 27% and the
green peel comes, to 10.5%.The seed content ranges from, 2.5-3.0%.The average TSS of the fruit, range
between 8-12oC brix. The acidity of, the fruits is very low viz; 0.6-.08%.The reducing, non-reducing and
total sugars on a average is 5.75, 2.25 and 8% respectively. Because of the high sugar content, juice and
attractive red color, the fruit is an ideal material for processing and product development. Only thing is
that the pulp and the rind is to be prepared suitably to get q u a l i t y products.
Constituent of watermelon (Per 1 KG)
1. Rind: - 28 – 30%
2. Pulp: - 55 – 60%
3. Seed: - 10 – 17%
Total: - 100%
Watermelon Processed Products Line
1. RTS (Pulp), Jam & Jelly (Pulp), Squash (Pulp)
2. Pickle (Rind), fruit wine (Rind)
3. Watermelon Kernel (Charmagaj) From Seed
PROCESS TECHNOLOGY: Red flesh is extracted from the fruit, and it will be passed through steam in the water bath of 60-65
degree centigrade. Then pulp will be separated from the pulper / mixie after passing through the net
cloth, in which the watermelon seed will be remain. The white rind portion will be used for the
preparation of the pickle and wine will be formed after fermentation and distillation.
Processed Products
Proportion of Mixing
A. Pulp Based Products
Juice
1 Kg Pulp, 150 gm Sugar, 2 gm citric acid & 70
mg of sodium benzoate.
RTS
300gm Juice & 700 gm of water
Squash
Juice – 1 Kg, Sugar – 1.6 Kg, Water – 1.4 Kg,
Citric Acid – 15 gm & Soduim Benzoate – 0.75
gm
B. Rind Based Product
Jelly (Pectin Extract will be prepared by Pectin extract – 1 Kg, Sugar – 800 gm, Citric
boiling the crushed rind with 1 time water Acid – 1.5 gm, Pulp as per different colour
and 2.5 gm citric acid)
Jam
Pulp of rind – 500 gm & Pulp of Red Flesh –
500 gm, Sugar – 800 gm, Citric Acid – 3 gm
Pickle
Curing the Rind as per the normal process of
making Pickle
Wine
Juice – 1 Kg, Sugar – 750 gm, Water – 250 ml,
Sodium benzoate – 100 mg, Starter solution
(10 gm sugar, 100 ml boiled water & 5 gm
yeast)
The extracted seed will be processed to get watermelon kernel by using the watermelon de-husker.
Kernel & husk ratio is 70:30 I general.
PROCESS FLOW CHART
FRUIT
SEED
Steam the
red flesh &
pulping &
Extraction
through
net cloth
Rind
PULP
DE-HUSKING
UNIT
JUICE
Processing
Unit
Watermelon
Kernel
Rind Based Product
Processed Products (RTS,
Squash, Jelly, Jam & Wine)
Social Involvement: One SHG (Vanita Sangha, Purunapani) is involved in the processing of fruits & Vegetables of
Mango, Guava, Tamato & Chilli etc. This SHG has 14 members and all are BPL ST catagories.
We had incorporated this technology after discussion with them. They were very interested
to take training on value addition of watermelon. We had arranged the training by inviting
Mr. C. R. Mahapatra, principal, Institute of Hotel management & Food Technology (Food
Craft Institute), Balangir, Odisha & Mr. Ranjit Mahanty, Quality control advisor, Prime Group
of Industries, Bhubaneswar. After the training, the products were launched during the
Deogarh Pallishrre Mela – 12 on the occasion of UTSAV PRADHANPAT. Honorable MLA,
Deogarh Sj. Sanjeeb Kumar Pradhan & Mr. Julious Lakra, IAS, Collector & DM, Deogarh
inaugurated the special stall for watermelon products. During the same year 2012, the SHG
was participated in the Pallishree Mela Nalco Nagar, Angul & got the best prize for product
innovation on watermelon and during the current year 2013, Vanita Sangha Participated in
the State Agriculture Festival at Bhubaneswar and got the prize for best innovation product
from Mr. Debi Prasad Mishra Minister of Agriculture, Government of Odisha.
Economic Impact: 1. No of SHG Members; - 14
2. Previous price of watermelon: - Rs. 3 – 4 per KG
3. Current Price of Watermelon: - Rs. 6 – 7 per Kg
4. Volume of leverage after value addition: - 1:4
5. Price of Processed products (Average of Juice, Sauce & Jam): - Rs. 80 per Kg
6. Expenditure on processing (1 Kg): - Rs. 30 per Kg
7. Average profit on processed products: - Rs. 30 – 40 per Kg