A pair of premium Yubari melons sold for a record 5.8 million yen ($36,500) at Japan's first auction of the season.
The previous record was 5 million yen set in 2019.
The wholesaler Futami Seika bought the melons and resold them to Keio Store Co., which plans to display them in a Tokyo supermarket.
Yubari melons are prized for their sweetness and orange flesh, making them a luxury gift in Japan.
This season, 3,086 tons of Yubari melons valued at 2.12 billion yen ($13.1 million) are expected to hit the market.
