A pair of premium mangoes from Miyazaki Prefecture fetched a record ¥500,000 in the season's first auction at a local wholesale market Monday, topping the previous best of ¥400,000.
The premium mangoes are called Taiyo no Tamago (Egg of the Sun).
To qualify for this description, they must meet strict criteria: weigh at least 350 grams each, possess a high sugar content and have more than 50 percent of their skin covered in a bright red hue, according to the Miyazaki Agricultural Economic Federation.
The auction for the fruit began at around 7 a.m., causing a stir among the crowd when the record price was announced. The mangoes were bought by a local produce wholesale company.
"The record price will give a lift to those who grew the mangoes," said Shota Tatemoto, a 35-year-old employee of the wholesaler.
Presented in a container and weighing in at about 1 kg, the two record-setting mangoes will be sold at a department store in the city of Fukuoka.
The federation expects the main shipping season by growers to peak between mid-May and mid-June.
