With melons that sell for the price of a new car and grapes that go for more than US$100 (S$125) a pop, Japan is a country where perfectly-formed fruit can fetch a fortune.
An industry of fruit boutiques has defied Japan's sluggish economy to consistently offer luscious and lavishly tended produce for hefty prices - and it is always in demand.In July, a single bunch of "Ruby Roman" grapes reportedly sold for 400,000 yen (S$5,100), making the plump, crimson berries worth a staggering 11,000 yen each.Every May, a pair of canteloupe melons grown in the north of Hokkaido is auctioned off. They regularly fetch the price of a modest new car.
The hammer fell on this year's pair at a cool 1.6 million yen.While such cases are at the extreme end, top-notch fruit is a valuable commodity in the world of business and as a seasonal gift, signifying just how much importance the giver attaches to the relationship.
"Most of our products are for gift purposes, so we collect large and high-grade products from all around Japan," says Yoshinobu Ishiyama, manager of a branch of Sun Fruits at Tokyo Midtown, a glitzy office-commercial complex that is also home to a Ritz Carlton Hotel."We offer rare products. Above all, they have to be delicious," he says.
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