夕張メロン、２玉３００万円　初日出荷は６倍に―札幌初競り

　北海道の夏の味覚、夕張メロンの初競りが２４日午前、札幌市の中央卸売市場で行われた。昨年の約６倍に上る１６９６玉が競りに掛けられ、うち１箱（２玉入り）が３００万円で落札された。
　メロンの梱包（こんぽう）などを行うホクユーパック（夕張市）が３年連続で落札。野田清道会長兼社長（７６）は「夕張を元気にしたいとの思いで競り落とした。濃くて甘いメロンを日本中の人に食べてもらいたい」と話した。メロンは来月、地元で先着２００人に無料で振る舞う。
　ＪＡ夕張市によると、今年は天候が良好に推移し、日照に恵まれたため、生育が順調に進んだという。収穫は２３日に始まり、今シーズンは出荷量３２１９トン、約１９億円の売り上げを目指す。（2024/05/24-10:25）

A pair of Yubari melons sold for 3 million yen in the first auction of the season in Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido, on Friday.
   A total of 1,696 Yubari melons, including the pair, were put up for auction at the Sapporo Central Wholesale Market on the day, up about sixfold from the previous year's first auction. The Yubari melon is known as a summer delicacy from the Hokkaido city of Yubari.
   Hokuyupack Co., a Yubari-based fruits and vegetables packing company, placed the winning bid for the highest-priced pair for the third straight year.
   "We bid for it because we wanted to revitalize Yubari," said Kiyomichi Noda, 76, president and chairman of Hokuyupack. "I want people all over Japan to eat rich and sweet (Yubari) melons." The 3-million-yen melons will be served for free to locals on a first- come, first-served basis next month.
   According to Yubari's agricultural cooperative, melon growth progressed smoothly this year thanks to favorable weather conditions and ample sunshine.