1. Buddha-shaped pears
Price: approximately 650 rubles per pear
In China, a farmer has perfected a way of growing pears. The use of special molds while the fruit grows allows the pears to take on the exact shape of a Buddha figurine. Farmer Xianzhang Hao grew 10,000 such pears in his backyard and now sells them for 9 dollars apiece (about 650 rubles).
He said he drew the idea from an old legend about a magical Buddha-shaped fruit that granted immortality to those who ate it.
2. Sekai Ichi apple
Price: approximately 1,500 rubles per apple
The Sekai Ichi apple was first grown in 1973 and is still considered one of the largest varieties of apple. These fruits can grow to a kilogram in weight. They are said to have a subtle sweetness and, moreover, to be quite soft. In Japan, where these apples are mainly grown, the trees are pollinated by hand, and the fruit is tended to until it ripens for harvest.
While the tree grows, it is carefully pruned to leave only the largest and healthiest fruit. Because of this process, the number of apples producers can supply is small.
3. Sembikiya cherries
Price: approximately 11,500 rubles for a box of 40 cherries
At the Sembikiya fruit shop you can find many fruits and berries at astonishingly high prices. For example, Sembikiya cherries, which are sold in boxes of 40 for a price of approximately 11,500 rubles.
Why so expensive? Each cherry must meet certain requirements. They must be the same shape and color as the rest of the cherries in the box, for maximum visual appeal.
4. Dekopon citrus
Price: approximately 5,700 rubles for 6 pieces
This citrus fruit is a cross between an orange and a tangerine. It is grown and sold in Japan. The Dekopon is today considered one of the best citrus fruits in the world and one of the sweetest.
Dekopons are difficult and labor-intensive to grow, which is partly why they are so expensive. These oranges, grown in greenhouses with controlled humidity and temperature, are carefully monitored and tended until they ripen. After the citrus fruits are harvested, they are aged for 40 days to lower the acidity to less than 1% and raise the sugar level.
5. Square watermelon
Price: approximately 57,000 rubles per watermelon
Another expensive berry hailing from Japan – is the square watermelon. Here it is all about the shape. In taste it is exactly the same as any ordinary watermelon you can find in any store. Or maybe even worse – they are sometimes harvested before they ripen in order to preserve the cubic shape.
Square watermelons are grown in molds, but the fruit does not always respond well to this. So few of these amazing berries make it to the counter.
6. Miyazaki mango
Price: 7,000 – 140,000 rubles per mango
Miyazaki – are the most expensive mangoes in the world. The Miyazaki mango is also called Taiyo no Tamago, or «egg of the sun». Their sugar content is 15% higher than that of an ordinary mango. The high price is due to the care required to grow this fruit. They need a lot of sunlight, rain, and a subtropical environment.
6. Ruby Roman grapes
Price: from 7,000 to 600,000 rubles per bunch.
You will not find such grapes anywhere except Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan. In 1995 a group of farmers from Ishikawa, Japan, began growing the perfect red grape. Over the course of 14 years, farmers, breeders, and researchers worked to increase the size, improve the color, and sweeten the flavor. In 2008 they debuted the Ruby Roman grape.
Ruby Roman grapes – are the most expensive grapes in the world. At harvest they are divided into three categories: top, special, and premium. Since only 24,000 bunches are harvested each year, and only a few of them are classified as premium, buyers may pay up to 8,000–9,000 dollars (more than 600,000 rubles), and perhaps even more, for a single premium-class bunch. And yet, strangely enough, the perfectly round and sweet berries that reach the market sell incredibly fast.
8. Densuke watermelon
Price: 18,000 – 430,000 rubles per watermelon
These watermelons hail from the island of Hokkaido and can be recognized by their dark green color. The rind is very glossy and has no markings or patterns.
Inside this fruit you will find very few seeds and a pink interior. They have sweeter flesh and a crisper texture than other watermelons. Densuke watermelons are very difficult to grow, and the plants yield little fruit – this is exactly what makes the price so high.
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9. Yubari King melon
Price: 7,000 – 800,000 rubles per melon
The Yubari King melon is considered one of the most expensive fruits in the world. Although their price varies greatly on the market, a pair of these fruits was sold at auction for 30,000 dollars (more than 2 million rubles), which exceeds the cost of some cars.
The Yubari King melon cannot be grown on a mass scale. It is planted in volcanic ash, and it requires 100 days of constant care to grow.
