Hualien's Large Watermelons Enter Harvest Season, Police Introduce Drones to Protect Melons
As Hualien's large watermelons enter their harvest season in May, the police have launched a 'Melon Protection Operation,' introducing aerial drones and remote surveillance cameras to enhance theft prevention and rapid response capabilities.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 12:16
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 12:31 (15 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 13:16 (44 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Li Xianfeng, Hualien County, 28th) Hualien's large watermelons will enter their harvest season starting in May, with harvesting gradually commencing in production areas such as Yuli, Ruisui, Fenglin, and Shoufeng. To protect the hard-earned results and property of farmers, the police have launched a melon protection operation, incorporating aerial drones and remote surveillance cameras to enhance their response capabilities.
Hualien's large watermelons are planted across approximately 1,000 hectares. The variety is 'Huabao,' characterized by a pale green rind with blue netting, vibrant red and juicy flesh, and a crisp, sandy, sweet taste that is highly popular with consumers.
To prevent the diligent efforts of melon farmers from being targeted by petty criminals, the Yuli Precinct of the Hualien County Police Department has proactively planned and deployed melon protection duties. Led by Precinct Chief Xu Junmin, and collaborating with various local police station chiefs, alternative service draftees, and volunteer police, a 'Melon Protection Patrol Team' has been formed. This team penetrates remote melon fields to perform safeguarding duties, actively protecting farmers' year-long efforts.
The police also simultaneously gathered forces from Chunri, Guanyin, Sanmin, and other along-the-line police stations to strengthen patrol capabilities. They adopted a cross-station joint defense and zonal grouping approach, implementing diverse patrol modes such as irregular patrols, small-area joint patrols, and extensive late-night cross-station patrols, comprehensively preventing theft.
Additionally, police forces are deployed on major thoroughfares such as County Road 193 and Provincial Highway 9 to strengthen vigilance and inspection. They actively intercept and inspect large trucks transporting watermelons and suspicious vehicles and individuals.
To improve patrol efficiency and monitoring range, the melon protection operation has introduced technological aids such as aerial drones and remote surveillance cameras. These enable real-time monitoring of field dynamics from the air, forming a three-dimensional protective net and effectively enhancing immediate response capabilities.
Simultaneously, the police have also established a close liaison mechanism with melon farmers, implementing 'police-citizen cooperation and information sharing.' They urge melon farmers to immediately report any suspicious circumstances to their local police station or dial 110, and the police will promptly arrive to investigate and handle the situation.
It is worth mentioning that the Yuli Precinct specially produced a 'Melon Protection and Anti-Theft Video,' combining creativity with local characteristics to enhance publicity effects. The video invites local melon farmer Wang Yunting to serve as a 'Melon Protection Ambassador,' sharing the hardships of cultivation and the importance of protecting the harvest. Police officers with backgrounds from the Bunun, Amis, Hakka, and Hoklo ethnic groups within the jurisdiction also lend their voices, and Father Liu Yifeng was specially invited to jointly endorse the promotion in French, allowing the concept of protecting farmers to transcend language barriers and deeply resonate with people. (Editor: Li Xizhang) 1150428
(Central News Agency reporter Li Xianfeng, Hualien County, 28th) Hualien's large watermelons will enter their harvest season starting in May, with harvesting gradually commencing in production areas such as Yuli, Ruisui, Fenglin, and Shoufeng. To protect the hard-earned results and property of farmers, the police have launched a melon protection operation, incorporating aerial drones and remote surveillance cameras to enhance their response capabilities.
Hualien's large watermelons are planted across approximately 1,000 hectares. The variety is 'Huabao,' characterized by a pale green rind with blue netting, vibrant red and juicy flesh, and a crisp, sandy, sweet taste that is highly popular with consumers.
To prevent the diligent efforts of melon farmers from being targeted by petty criminals, the Yuli Precinct of the Hualien County Police Department has proactively planned and deployed melon protection duties. Led by Precinct Chief Xu Junmin, and collaborating with various local police station chiefs, alternative service draftees, and volunteer police, a 'Melon Protection Patrol Team' has been formed. This team penetrates remote melon fields to perform safeguarding duties, actively protecting farmers' year-long efforts.
The police also simultaneously gathered forces from Chunri, Guanyin, Sanmin, and other along-the-line police stations to strengthen patrol capabilities. They adopted a cross-station joint defense and zonal grouping approach, implementing diverse patrol modes such as irregular patrols, small-area joint patrols, and extensive late-night cross-station patrols, comprehensively preventing theft.
Additionally, police forces are deployed on major thoroughfares such as County Road 193 and Provincial Highway 9 to strengthen vigilance and inspection. They actively intercept and inspect large trucks transporting watermelons and suspicious vehicles and individuals.
To improve patrol efficiency and monitoring range, the melon protection operation has introduced technological aids such as aerial drones and remote surveillance cameras. These enable real-time monitoring of field dynamics from the air, forming a three-dimensional protective net and effectively enhancing immediate response capabilities.
Simultaneously, the police have also established a close liaison mechanism with melon farmers, implementing 'police-citizen cooperation and information sharing.' They urge melon farmers to immediately report any suspicious circumstances to their local police station or dial 110, and the police will promptly arrive to investigate and handle the situation.
It is worth mentioning that the Yuli Precinct specially produced a 'Melon Protection and Anti-Theft Video,' combining creativity with local characteristics to enhance publicity effects. The video invites local melon farmer Wang Yunting to serve as a 'Melon Protection Ambassador,' sharing the hardships of cultivation and the importance of protecting the harvest. Police officers with backgrounds from the Bunun, Amis, Hakka, and Hoklo ethnic groups within the jurisdiction also lend their voices, and Father Liu Yifeng was specially invited to jointly endorse the promotion in French, allowing the concept of protecting farmers to transcend language barriers and deeply resonate with people. (Editor: Li Xizhang) 1150428