A pair of premium Japanese 
melons have sold for $24,800 at auction, which amounts to over 22 times more than last year’s virus-hit price. Still, the 2.7 million yen price tag of the famed Yubari melons at the season’s first auction is still a small change compared to records for the prized produce. In 2019, a pair of Yubari melons went for a record 5 million yen but the price plunged to just 120,000 yen last year, with growers blaming the virus for keeping away rich bidders eager to outdo each other.
“This year’s recovery in price can be seen as a result of buyers looking to encourage people by putting in higher bids,” a wholesale market official told AFP.
France24.com reports that the successful bidder was a local manufacturer of baby food, whose president said he hoped the purchase would spread a bit of a good cheer.
The melons come from Hokkaido, the country’s northernmost main island and a popular tourist destination. The region is currently under a virus state of emergency along with nine other areas including the capital Tokyo.
Photo source: Dreamstime.com