JAPAN - If you thought Pak N Save’s mistakenly priced $100 watermelon was expensive enough, just wait till you see these Densuke watermelons!
The rare, black skinned watermelon sold at an auction for 350,000 yen, or more than a whopping $3,000 U.S. – the highest selling among a batch of around 240 Densuke watermelons! The variety, known for its circular form, distinct black rind, and crisp, sweet flesh, is grown in the town of Toma in Japan’s northernmost Hokkaido island, according to The Telegraph.
Satoshi Ogino, a fruit and vegetable broker, was the lucky bidder. He told Kyodo news that he bid in order to “provide encouragement to the efforts of the farmers.”
Is it time to start growing these Densuke melons yourself?! Well, maybe. A farmers’ cooperative based in Toma expects to ship around 70,000 Densuke watermelons this year at a much more “reasonable price” of around 5,000 yen, or approximately $49 U.S. Yikes.
Unfortunately, this year’s Densuke watermelon didn’t beat the record for 2008, when the 17-pound melon sold for 650,000 yen, or $6,100 U.S., according to Los Angeles Times.
Fruit has long been considered a luxury item in Japan, and it’s not rare to see them go for exorbitant prices. In fact, a pair of Yubari cantaloupes were sold for $23,500 in Japan! Telegraph also reports that everyday supermarket fruits are expensive, with single apples selling for as high as $4 a pop.
And make no mistake, that’s not a pricing error. Check out our previous story on Pak N Save’s $100 watermelon below…
Click here to read: Pak N Save’s 100 Dollar Watermelon
Now…how can I get my hands on one of these Densuke watermelons? Preferably without having to pay thousands of dollars.
