A supermaket in western Japan has parted with over US$27,000 for a set of melons, according to Cox Media Group.
The retailer paid a record ¥3m (US$27,529) for two Yubari melons at Japan’s first fruit auction of the year. The auction captures national attention each year, as the first batch of fruit is associated with good luck in the Asian nation.
This year’s price was a marked improvement on the US$14,000 fetched for the most expensive pair of melons last year.
A cantaloupe hybrid, Yubari melons are considered a luxury item by Japanese consumers and regularly retail for over US$100in department stores in Tokyo.
