Daraa, SANA – Daraa Governorate has produced around 40,000 tons of watermelon this season, overcoming rising production costs and challenging weather conditions, according to the Agriculture Directorate.

Head of the Agricultural Economy and Planning Department, Eng. Hassan al-Ahmad, told SANA that the cultivated area reached 773 hectares, all under irrigation.

He explained that while watermelon in Daraa is predominantly grown with irrigation, it can also be rain-fed in years of sufficient rainfall, given its high-water requirements.

Al-Ahmad noted that yields in favorable seasons can reach 75 tons per hectare, but this year’s average fell to about 50 tons per hectare due to drought and unfavorable climatic conditions.