Expensive mangoes in Japan

Mangoes are priced like gold in Japan. During the years that I lived there, mangoes from neighboring Philippines are imported. They still do. However, those that the Japan government import are of inferior quality and small. Yet, it cost about more than US$3.20 apiece. Okinawa Prefecture produce mango-apples. Nice and big fruits but the taste is not like the delicious Philippine mangoes. Japan, high-tech that she is, will never stop to find ways to produce what they do not have. That makes them one of the most admired countries on the face of the earth.

Season's first sweet mangoes fetch ¥200,000

The Japan Times, 7 Apr 2010

MIYAZAKI (Kyodo) Fully ripe mangoes, well-known for their high sugar concentration — and high prices — have gone on sale nationwide with the first box of two fetching a wholesale price of ¥200,000.

The first deal for the Miyazaki Prefecture-grown red mango, dubbed the "egg of the sun," was made Monday. Bidding started at 7 a.m. at the central wholesale market in the city of Miyazaki.

"I was worried the price might go down because of the recession, but we producers are happy because they fetched high prices," said Yasukazu Matsuda, 50, who belongs to a local association of fruit growers.

"I hope the 'the egg of the sun' will help trigger (growth) of the agricultural industry of the prefecture," he said.

Miyazaki mangoes are shipped only after the sugar concentration exceeds 15 percent of its juice and the weight reaches 350 grams or more.

Given steady growth of the fruit recently, farmers in Miyazaki started shipping mangoes 15 days earlier than last year.

We welcome your opinions. Click to send a message to the editor.

Source: 

http://ow.ly/1vqYM

You might be interested in reading these:

JAPAN Lights and Shadows Promotional Video Read the Excerpts Click here

Taiyaki: A delightful Japanese snack