A bunch of grapes has sold for 1,2-million Yen (R154 000) in an auction in Japan. The grapes in question are “Ruby Roman” grapes, a variety of the fruit first developed in 2008, and each is roughly the size of a ping pong ball. Grown and sold exclusively in the Ishikawa Prefecture of Japan, the grapes are also known for being especially sweet and juicy with low acidity making them particularly prized, and yet they are still grapes, and still somehow netted the record fee.
Forty bunches of the grapes were put up for auction in Kanazawa City on Tuesday with the operator of a chain of hot spring hotels placing the highest bid for a bunch. The operator, who wanted to remain nameless, placed the bid on just 24 grapes — which boils down to about R6400 per grape.
Takashi Hosokawa, who manages one of the inns in the chain, told NHK News he is glad the operator secured the fruit and is eager to serve the grapes to hotel guests.
The JA Zennoh Ishikawa farming cooperative which produces the grapes expects that about 26,000 bunches of the grapes will be for sale between now and September.
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