A premium watermelon with a dark green rind grown in Hokkaido, northern Japan, fetched 220,000 yen ($2,050) Monday in the year's first auction, less than one-third the record price marked last year amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.Auctioneers wearing face shields as an anti-virus measure began inviting bids for the premium Densuke watermelons at 6:50 a.m. at a fresh-produce market in Asahikawa. A total of 71 watermelons were sold."The novel coronavirus outbreak had a large impact (on the price), and the fall was predictable," said a market official.The highest price paid for the watermel…READ FULL ARTICLE
