Partner Article

The most expensive watermelon

A black jumbo watermelon auctioned in northern Japan fetched a record £3,119, making it the most expensive watermelon ever sold in the country - and possibly the world, according to CBS News. In a country where melons are a luxury item commonly given as gifts, the watermelon’s hefty price tag follows another jaw-dropping auction last month, where a pair of Yubari cantaloupe melons sold for a record £12,012.

“This is the highest price on record for a Densuke watermelon, and that probably means it’s the highest of any watermelon in Japanese history,” said Kazuyoshi Ohira, a spokesman for the Tohma Agricultural Cooperative in Hokkaido.

For seasonal, high-end fruits like the Densuke watermelon and the Yubari cantaloupes, Japanese buyers are often willing to pay top prices at auction for the prestige of owning the very first ones of the year.

The price of other Densuke watermelons is not so high. According to Mr. Ohira, most will retail at department stores and supermarkets for a more modest £95 to £145.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .