Two melons sold at Japanese auction for $45G to first-time bidder: report
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two melons were sold at an auction in the northern Japanese city of Yubari last month for a record-breaking $45,600 to a first-time bidder, according to reports.
The public auction, which took place at a wholesale market between May 25 and 29, was the first for the country’s agricultural season. The bidder was an employee from a Japanese beverage company which sells a Yubari melon-flavored soda, according to the Japanese Times.
Two melons fetched for $46,500 at a public auction in the Japanese city of Yubari last month. (sbs.com.au)
The highly-prized cantaloupes were among 1,000 pieces of Yubari-brand melons, the Asahi Shimbun reported. The melons, characterized by a sweet orange pulp, are sought after because of their lengthy ripening period, according to the report.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Auctions take place in the country at the beginning of the summer season. Agricultural products are usually sold for astronomically high prices and valued more like a trophy rather than actual food.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The $45,600 selling price marks an all-time high for the Yubari melons. Last year, the winning bid for the two melons was about $29,500.