High-end musk melons produced in Shizuoka Prefecture have started hitting the Australian market amid growing interest in Japanese food culture in the Oceanian country.
The Shizuoka Crown Melon, grown chiefly in the cities of Fukuroi and Hamamatsu, boasts a high sugar content and rich aroma compared with other varieties because only the best-quality fruit is selected and grown per vine. Standard-quality products trade at around ¥10,000 each while the top-grade ones are sold for ¥30,000 and higher.
The greenhouse melons, available for shipment throughout the year, have already been consumed in the Hong Kong, Singapore and U.S. markets, among others.
The premium melon brand successfully made its first foray into Australia in late February after meeting the major farming nation's stringent quarantine requirements for fruit imports. The first batches of imported crown melons were delivered to local restaurants. Trade between Japan and Australia is now tariff-free thanks to their accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP.
Read more at The Japan Times
