Two Yubari melons, grown in Hokkaido, reached a price of 5.8 million yen at the first auction of the season, surpassing the record of 5.5 million yen set in 2019. The beverage and food company that acquired them will display them at the Keio Store’s Sakuragaoka supermarket in western Tokyo, ahead of tastings scheduled for next week. A luxury that few can afford.
The precision cultivation behind these luxury fruits 🍈
The cultivation process of Yubari melons is an example of applied agricultural technology. Temperature, humidity, and sun exposure are controlled in Hokkaido greenhouses. Each plant produces a single fruit to concentrate nutrients. Manual pollination techniques and automated irrigation systems are used. The round shape and the network of cracks on the rind are quality indicators, evaluated with optical sensors. This level of detail partly justifies their auction price.
When your fruit is worth more than your used car 🚗
For 54 thousand dollars, you could buy a used car, pay the down payment on an apartment, or, if you are the winning company, acquire two melons that you will display in a supermarket. The logic of the luxury market says that these Yubari are not eaten, they are revered. And if someone dares to bite into them, they should know that each bite costs more than a dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant. That said, at least they don't cause engine trouble.