The abnormal weather pattern this year has hit the farmers hard. In Hualien, watermelon growth has been exceptionally slow this season, with harvest dates likely to be pushed back by at least one month. Now the farmers can only hope that the quality of their produce will not be affected as well.

Farmers are checking in the watermelon farm to see if there's any fruit formed near the tip of each mature vine branch.

Still, what they found was only a flower, no bigger than the size of a thumb. Farmers said that watermelons should have reached the size of a plate, even to over 10 catties now, but this year, the growth has been delayed.

They believe it is a result of the recent cold weather.

Farmers said that it usually takes around four months for watermelons to grow, however, this year, the harvest will be delayed by about one month, and the following growing of other crops will also be affected.

They can only hope that the cold weather doesn't affect the quality of the watermelons and they can get a better price.