SAPPORO - A pair of premium melons grown on Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido fetched a record 5.8 million yen ($36,500) at the year's first auction on Friday, beating the previous all-time high of 5 million yen in 2019.
This year's successful bidder for the pricey cantaloupes, a signature product of the city of Yubari, was Futami Seika Co., a Kushiro-based fruit and vegetable wholesaler. The melons were later sold to Keio Store Co., which plans to display them at one of its supermarkets in Tokyo until Sunday.
"I hope the people in Tokyo will enjoy these Hokkaido melons," said Hirokazu Okubo, Futami Seika's head of sales who was involved in the successful bid at a wholesale market in Sapporo.
Known for their juicy orange flesh and sweetness, Yubari melons are often sent as gifts in Japan.
According to Yubari's agricultural cooperative, local farmers plan to ship 3,086 tons of melons worth around 2.12 billion yen this year, with peak harvesting expected in June and July.
Premium fruits often fetch very high prices at first auctions in Japan, with buyers using successful bids for promotional purposes.
