Top Densuke watermelon fetches less than €1,820
June 15, 2020
Premium produce brings in big money in Japan, with restaurants intentionally overpaying for fruit and vegetables as a way to market their services to visitors. However, some produce enthusiasts were left underwhelmed by the annual watermelon auction at the Asahikawa produce market on Monday.
This year's top watermelon was bought for 220,000 yen (€1,818, $2,050). This is a bargain price compared to last year's record of 750,000 yen at the event on Japan's northern main island, Hokkaido.
"The novel coronavirus outbreak had a large impact [on the price], and the fall was predictable," the spokesman for the Asahikawa market was quoted as saying by the Kyodo news agency.
The impact of the coronavirus was already on full display last month when a pair of Yubari melons, another premium fruit, sold for 120,000 yen — or roughly 2.4% of last year's price.
Read more: Threatening letters, 'cyanide' sent to Japanese farms
On Monday, auctioneers wore face shields while offering premium dark green watermelons called Densuke, the signature product of the Hokkaido town of Toma. A total of 71 watermelons were sold at the event.
This year's top bidder was Madoka Sato, a 38-year-old manager of a local e-commerce firm.
"I took part to show support for the farmers," he said.
The annual auction marks the beginning of the delivery season for the produce, according to the DPA news agency. Japanese media regularly covers the events, with Hokkaido farmers taking pride in the exaggerated prices. Densuke watermelons only grow in Hokkaido; they have darker rind and sweeter flesh than regular watermelons.
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