The eyewatering $114 watermelon
How much should you pay for a watermelon?
It’s a question shoppers are asking in Invercargill, after a photo of a staggeringly expensive Pak’nSave melon – $114.77 – was posted on Facebook.
The post on the Cheaper Ways NZ page by shopper Beth Goodwright was accompanied by the query: ‘‘Is it just me, or does this seem a little on the expensive side?’’
‘‘I thought paying $24 for a watermelon from NW [New World] 2 years ago was bad enough,’’ she said.
But since the photo was published, prices have plunged, and Invercargill Pak’nSave is now charging $4.99 a kilo for the summer fruit.
Pak’nSave supermarkets are operated by Foodstuffs, and spokeswoman Emma Wooster said prices had fallen sharply in recent days.
It no longer cost $114.77 for a watermelon in the deep south.
‘‘Today at Pak’nSave Invercargill watermelon is $4.99 a kilo, and we expect this trend to continue in our stores as NZgrown watermelons become more plentiful,’’ Wooster said.
‘‘There are a few factors that affect the price of fresh produce including weather, seasonality, how far the produce travels and whether it’s on special at the time.’’
At midday yesterday, New
World supermarkets, also part of Foodstuffs, were selling the fruit for $4.99 a kilo.
At rival Countdown supermarkets, watermelons were selling for $5.50 a kilo.
The Invercargill watermelon price appeared to cause more bemusement than anger online, with people struggling to understand how Pak’nSave would find anyone in the city of 57,000 who could stump up that much cash.
‘‘Who can afford that price?’’ asked Cheaper Ways NZ member Linda Moore.
‘‘That’s dearer than crayfish,’’ said Tiehi MacDonald.
‘‘That’s just ridiculous,’’ posted Mere Rauhina.
People felt certain the $114 watermelon would end up rotting on the supermarket’s shelf, unless someone bought it ‘‘accidentally’’.
Others vowed to start growing their own watermelons.
‘‘It’s such a horrendous price that we’ve decided to grow our own from now on,’’ posted Elle Montgomery.
Not everyone has room in the garden to do that.
Garden and fertiliser supplier Tui from Mt Maunganui says watermelons need a lot of space to thrive.
‘‘Position your watermelons in the sunniest spot in your garden, sheltered from winds and salty air,’’ it said.
‘‘Watermelons have sprawling lateral growth, so they need a lot of room to grow. Plant melons on low mounds 1.5 to 1.8 metres apart, or up to three metres for larger watermelons. Grow two plants on each mound and trail the developing seedlings in opposite directions from one another.’’
Other people shocked by the $114 Invercargill melon suggested shopping in local fruit shops. Watermelons were apparently available at some outlets for just $3.99 a kilo.
The Invercargill melon did not set a record for price, even in the first two weeks of 2023.
On January 6, a chunk of Wanaka watermelon was selling for $14.99 a kilo, $2 a kilo more than the Invercargill melon.