World’s Most Expensive Fruit: Yubari King Melon, Do You Know How Much it Costs? (2024)

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At a traditional auction, marking the start of the summer season, two coveted Yubari melons were sold for almost 18 lacs, which is more than 22 times the last year’s price. A pair of melons was sold for 120,000 yen last year. Even in the normal times it costs a few thousand yen.

Dimple Gupta

World’s Most Expensive Fruit: Yubari King Melon, Do You Know How Much it Costs? (1)

At a traditional auction, marking the start of the summer season, two coveted Yubari melons were sold for almost 18 lacs, which is more than 22 times the last year’s price.A pair of melons were sold for120,000 yenlast year. Even in normal times, it costs a few thousand yen.

Cultivation of Yubari King Melon

Renowned for its high quality and sweet taste, this cantaloupe cultivaris farmed inYubari in Hokkaido (Japan).There they are grown in extremely difficult and harsh winter conditionsthere. Yubari has a mountainous environment and nutrient-rich volcanic soils with high rainfall. They are grownunderspecific criteriathat ensure a perfectly round shape, good rind pattern, a decorative stem, and a high sweetness level.

Each melon takes 100 days time to grow and is also given special paper hats to protect them from the sun.

It is a hybrid of two cantaloupes cultivars, namely – Earl’sFavourite& Burpee’s "Spicy" Cantaloupe.

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A top-grade melon should be perfectly round and have an exceptionally smooth rind.

Harvesting

Its harvest basically starts in the month of May and lasts up to the month of August. Before harvesting, the inspection process is extremely thorough and careful.Farmersflick and knock on the fruit to listen to a deep, low sound, their rind is checked for a perfect lattice pattern and the fruit as a whole is checked for its distinctive fragrance.

Why YubariMelons are so costly?

Yubari Melons are expensive as they are protected by geographical indication which makes them an exclusive product. A melon such as this is simply sold to the farmers as an incentive to stimulate the industry.Anattention-grabbingstatus symbol for the buyers.

First published on: 26 Oct 2021, 12:00 IST

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World’s Most Expensive Fruit: Yubari King Melon, Do You Know How Much it Costs? (2024)

FAQs

World’s Most Expensive Fruit: Yubari King Melon, Do You Know How Much it Costs? ›

The Yubari King melon is considered the most expensive fruit in Asia and the world, selling for around $200 each. It's a sweet melon that's grown in Yubari, a small town in Japan's Hokkaido region.

Why is the Yubari Melon so expensive? ›

The juicy orange pulp of the cross-bred Yubari King, on the other hand, is nectar-sweet. What makes the Yubari King so expensive – aside from its unfailing deliciousness – locals say, is the extreme level of agricultural and technical expertise required to cultivate the fragile melons.

What is the price of Yubari King melon? ›

List Of Top 10 Most Expensive Fruits In The World: Yubari King Melon Costs More Than Rs 24 Lakh | Full List. Most Expensive Fruits List: Japan's Yubari King Melon is reportedly the most expensive fruit in the world, followed by Ruby Roman Grapes, Densuke Watermelon, and Taiyo no Tamago Mangoes.

What is the No 1 expensive fruit? ›

Yubari King Melon, with the cost of $30,000/ pair, claims the title of the most expensive fruit in the world.

How much is a Yubari Melon worth in the US? ›

These top-tier melons can command the highest prices of up to $300 per melon. But if you are wondering what is the most expensive price for a Yubari Melon – according to Kyodo News, a record was set in 2019 when a pair of Yubari King Melons were sold for $45,000 at auction!

What does a musk melon taste like? ›

Muskmelon has ribbed, netted or smooth skin and a sweet, or bland flavor with or without a musky aroma.

Where does Yubari King Melon grow? ›

Food (Fruit & Vegetable): This cultivar is grown in the town of Yubari in Hokkaido, Japan. The name 'Yubari King' is trademarked, so that only melons grown in Yubari are allowed to be labelled as Yubari King melons.

What is Yubari King Melon in English? ›

The Yubari King (夕張メロン, Yūbari Meron, Yūbari melon) is a cantaloupe cultivar farmed in greenhouses in Yūbari, Hokkaido, a small city close to Sapporo. The Yubari King is a hybrid of two other cantaloupe cultivars: Earl's Favourite and Burpee's "Spicy" Cantaloupe. The hybrid's scientific name is Cucumis melo L.

What is the rarest melon? ›

This unique melon is exclusively grown in Japan and goes by the name "Yubari King." It's believed to be the world's priciest fruit, cultivated solely in Yubari city on Japan's Hokkaido island.

What is the cheapest fruit in the world? ›

The 10 Cheapest Fruits to Buy Year-Round
  • Bananas.
  • Cantaloupe.
  • Watermelon.
  • Grapes.
  • Orange.
  • Jackfruit.
  • Pineapple.
  • Papaya.
Jun 15, 2023

What is the largest fruit in the world 2024? ›

Largest Fruit in the World 2024

Recognized as the planet's largest tree-borne fruit, the jackfruit can attain lengths of up to two feet and weigh an astonishing 40 pounds. In 2024, its status as the world's biggest fruit continues to awe and contribute to the rich tapestry of global agriculture.

What is the most expensive thing in the world? ›

The most expensive product on Earth is the History Supreme Yacht, which is valued at $4.5 billion. It was designed by Stuart Hughes and took three years to build.

How much is a watermelon? ›

The national seasonal average retail price for non-organic, red-fleshed, seeded type ranged between $0.31to $0.38 per pound, and $0.46 to $0.55 per pound for red-fleshed seedless.

Is cantaloupe a cheap fruit? ›

Cantaloupe is a nutrient-dense and affordable fruit, typically costing around $0.52 a pound (1). One of its notable characteristics is its low calorie content.

Why do Japanese melons cost so much? ›

These melons are also sold at a high price because of the labor that the farmers put into them, especially considering the crown melons that are massaged daily. The price of these Japanese melons is a combination of labor costs, quality, and availability as they're grown in smaller batches.

How much is a Yubari King Melon between $200 $45000 per melon? ›

Price: between $200 – $45,000 per melon

In 2010 a pair of Yubari King melons were bought by a beverage company for an eye-watering $45,000 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their melon-flavored mineral water! As the name suggests, they're grown exclusively in the small city of Yubari, in Hokkaido province.

Why is Hokkaido melon so expensive? ›

One reason the melons are so expensive? Scarcity. Densuke watermelons are grown exclusively on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. Production is centralized in the town of Tohma – where the island's specific climate and mineral-rich volcanic soil make cultivating the fruit possible.

Why is Japanese cantaloupe so expensive? ›

These melons are also sold at a high price because of the labor that the farmers put into them, especially considering the crown melons that are massaged daily. The price of these Japanese melons is a combination of labor costs, quality, and availability as they're grown in smaller batches.

Why does Japan have so many expensive fruits? ›

Aside from this luxury status, there are regulations on size, colour and taste set by JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperative), the national regulatory body, when buying produce from farmers for resale. The landmass of Japan is also almost 80 percent mountains, which doesn't leave a lot of room for fruit crops.

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