Get A Load of THOSE Melons! $5,200 For WHAT?

I buy a lot of fruit and eat a lot of fruit, but HOLY MELONS, I couldn't imagine (nor ever afford) spending thousands of dollars on ANY kind of food.  The first two Yubari melons of the season were auctioned today in nothern Japan for $5,200. The melons weighed approximately eight pounds and were the pick of the initial season's crop at Sapporo Central Wholesale Market.  They are grown in the Japanese city of Yubari and are favorites due to their taste and "perfect proportions."

Last year's winning bid came in at about $26,000 (2.5 million yen) and in 2007, they sold for approximately $20,000.

Geez, even "the other kind" of perfectly proportioned "melons" grown by plastic surgeons don't always ring up for THAT price in the U.S. =)

AP photo