Young boys sit in watermelon barges banked on the Tigris River. Iraq possesses a unique breed of watermelon that is capable of growing up to 50 pounds in the fertile land around the Tigris. Still an important agricultural product, the fruit has long provided an alternative source of hydration for those who want to avoid unclean drinking water. During the Iraq war, USA Today reported on the peril faced by merchants while transporting watermelon -- by truck rather than barge -- to Baghdad.
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