This fruit is sold exclusively in Japan and is extremely hard to access for even local shops and supermarkets, a factor which adds to its expensiveness.
As with many luxury food and beverage items like champagne, bourbon, or Kobe beef, Yubari King melons can only be grown in a certain region of Hokkaido prefecture, as per tasteatlas.
In 2019, a pair of melons sold for over $42,450 (Rs31.6 lakh). That's over Rs 15 lakh for one melon. Just let that sink in. If reports are to be believed, one kilogram of Yubari Melon can cost up to Rs 20 lakh. This fruit is only exclusive to the topmost tier of society i.e. the super-rich. Even though the fruit can cost as much as a car or gold jewellery, it is still in great demand among the rich in Japan. The fruit is grown exclusively in the Yubari region of Japan and is grown only inside greenhouses, as opposed to mass farming. The farmers give the melons constant attention and care. Each melon takes 100 days to grow, and the fruit is grown all year round.
The reason why these melons are so expensive is
that they are protected by geographical indication,
like Wagyu beef or Iberian ham.
8 amazing Health Benefits
Wonderfully delicious with rich flavor, cantaloupes are very low in calories (100 g fruit has just 34 calories) and fats. Nonetheless, the fruit is rich in numerous health promoting polyphenolic plant-derived compounds, vitamins, and minerals that are absolute for optimum health.
The fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-A, (100 g provides 3382 IU or about 112% of recommended daily levels) one of the highest among Cucurbita fruits. Vitamin-A is a powerful antioxidant and is essential for healthy vision. It is also required for maintaining healthy mucosa and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin-A has been known to help protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
Cantaloupes also rich in antioxidant flavonoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and cryptoxanthin. These antioxidants have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen-free radicals and hence, offer protection against colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
Total antioxidant strength regarding oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of cantaloupe melons is 315 µmol TE/100 g. The value for honeydew melon is 241 µmol TE/100 g.
Zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eye where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective UV light-filtering functions. It, thus, offers protection of eyes from "Age-related macular degeneration" (ARMD) disease in the elderly.
It is an ideal source of electrolyte, potassium. 100 g fruit provides 267 mg of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids and helps control heart rate and blood pressure. It thus offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
The fruit also contains moderate levels of B-complex vitamins, such as niacin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C, and minerals like manganese.
Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. The human body uses manganese as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Commercially, muskmelons are being used to extract an enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), which plays a vital role as a first-line antioxidant defense in the human body.
Really it is too expensive. But for yubari lovers and affordable pockets it is fun and chase. Thanks for sharing this information.