A black watermelon grown in the town of Toma, Hokkaido, in northern Japan, was sold today for 500,000 yen (US$4,729) in the year’s first auction of the fruit at a market.
Some 260 of the Densuke watermelon, known for their black and shiny skin as well as for their crunchy texture, were auctioned off at fresh produce markets in Asahikawa and Sapporo the same day.
An agricultural cooperative in Toma said the peak season of this variety is July and that it plans to ship 70,000 of them this year. The watermelons are expected to retail for around 5,000 yen apiece.
