Pair of Yubari Melons Sold for Over R300k at Auction in Japan
- Two melons were sold during the first auction of the new season at a market in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido in Japan
- This was 22 times more than the amount made at last year's first auction, which fetched R15 000
- Yubari melons are said to be the same size as cantaloupes and are renowned for their high quality and sweet taste
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Two coveted Yubari melons were sold for a whopping R345 898 at a recent Japanese traditional auction. According to Japan Times, the melons were sold during the first auction of the new season at a market in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido in Japan.
Source: Twitter
This is said to have been 22 times more than the amount made at last year's first auction, which fetched R15 000, and the drop was blamed on the coronavirus pandemic.
It was also a huge drop from the previous year (2019) in which R640 000 was collected from the first day's auction.
The fruits are said to be the same size as cantaloupes and are renowned for their high quality and sweet taste.
The harvest for the expensive fruits starts in May and lasts until August. On Monday, May 24, which was the said first day, 466 melons were sold.
Yubari melons are known to be a seasonal delicacy and the first auction is also used to indicate the arrival of early summer.
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They are grown under challenging conditions in winter and are also said to be the region's pride.
Japan Times reports a baby food company bought the pair of melons and will quickly freeze them and send them as gifts to about 10 families with small children who had been selected in a draw.
In other news, Briefly News reported that billionaire TikTok boss, Zang Yiming retired to read books and daydream.
The founder of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has recently announced that he will be stepping down from his position as CEO of the highly successful company so that he can spend more time reading and relaxing.
Considering he is worth a whopping $44 billion (over R614 billion), we're guessing it was a pretty easy decision for him to make - especially since he can afford to buy just about any number of books he likes.
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Source: Briefly News
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
Thando Mpembe Thando Mpembe is a sports journalist who has a passion for all things entertainment. In her spare time, Thando enjoys reading and spending time with family. She is an advocate for mental health and believes that a healthy body starts with a healthy mind. Thando holds an Honours Degree in Journalism from the University of Johannesburg. Her favourite quote is "Gentle reminder - you are not for everyone and that is a blessing". Email: thando.mpembe@briefly.co.za
