After more than a decade of experimenting, a trio of Malaysian farmers say they have found the right concoction of nutrients and treatments to successfully grow Japanese muskmelons, one of the world's most expensive fruits.
The farmers at Malaysian company Mono Premium Melon regularly rub the melons with a soft cloth or glove, a practice called tama-fuki said to enhance their flavor, and play classical music over speakers in the greenhouses, which is believed to stimulate growth.
"Every single Japanese melon that you see in our farm is almost like an art piece," said Seh Cheng Siang, director and co-founder of Mono, at the company's farm in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya.