China
22:54, 07-Aug-2017
Outlandish square watermelon gaining popularity in Japan
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The proverb "rarity brings high prices" has proven universally true and lastingly so. 30 years since they first appeared, square watermelons still fetch some 150 dollars apiece in their birthplace of Japan.
But some salesmen argue that the square watermelon was invented as an indoor ornament rather than a fruit.
"Square watermelons are not meant for eating. They are sold as ornamental items for household decoration. They are good for at least one whole month when kept at room temperature," claimed Mura Kengo, owner of Shibuya Nishimura Fruit Parlor in Tokyo.
The sky-high prices that square watermelons can fetch have enticed and encouraged opportunists and profit-chasers to grow watermelons in various other shapes, such as hearts and pyramids.