Maybe nothing tastes as delicious and refreshing(涼爽的) as a cold, juicy, round watermelon on a hot summer day. No wonder this healthy fruit has been enjoyed by man for thousands of years. But how about trying square watermelons instead of round ones? Sounds fascinating, doesn’t it?
Recently, farmers in the southern Japanese town of Zentsuji have discovered a technique to grow their watermelons in a square shape.
The reason why they’re doing this in Japan is that there is not enough space in refrigerators. They are trying to make watermelons “refrigerator-friendly”.
A round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator, and the usually round fruit often sits awkwardly(笨拙地) on refrigerator shelves. Smart Japanese farmers have forced their watermelons to grow into a square shape by putting the watermelon into square, glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine(藤).
But these square watermelons come with a high price. Regular watermelons in Japan cost from $15 to $25 each, while each square watermelon costs 10,000 yen, the equivalent of about $82.
Being quite expensive, these watermelons would certainly not be consumed by the general public. Maybe consumers will give them as gifts!
But it is also said that there does appear to be a growing U.S. market for watermelons that are more refrigerator-friendly. The industry is seeking for opinions from consumers who do mind size.
Recently, farmers in the southern Japanese town of Zentsuji have discovered a technique to grow their watermelons in a square shape.
The reason why they’re doing this in Japan is that there is not enough space in refrigerators. They are trying to make watermelons “refrigerator-friendly”.
A round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator, and the usually round fruit often sits awkwardly(笨拙地) on refrigerator shelves. Smart Japanese farmers have forced their watermelons to grow into a square shape by putting the watermelon into square, glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine(藤).
But these square watermelons come with a high price. Regular watermelons in Japan cost from $15 to $25 each, while each square watermelon costs 10,000 yen, the equivalent of about $82.
Being quite expensive, these watermelons would certainly not be consumed by the general public. Maybe consumers will give them as gifts!
But it is also said that there does appear to be a growing U.S. market for watermelons that are more refrigerator-friendly. The industry is seeking for opinions from consumers who do mind size.