That's more a product of our tolerance for GMOed-to-hell bullshit. Fruit isn't what it used to be in the US-- it seems optimized for water retention these days. The standard watermelon here now tastes like a wet sponge. It didn't used to.

You can come close to Japanese fruit quality just buying organic in the US.

>You can come close to Japanese fruit quality just buying organic in the US.

Sure, and then the cost for American fruit looks very similar to that "expensive" Japanese fruit.

Dunno if you've been to a farm stand before but the prices are generally in line with grocery store prices for regular fruit.

They've got fake farm stands in Silicon Valley and Seattle, where sun-darkened Mexican dudes sell random cherries and stuff for even more than retail price

Pretty frustrating stuff, haha.

I'd been to actual farmer's markets out in the middle of nowhere, so I was really excited to see one coming into town. Got there and it was $3 for an ear of corn, $20 for a bag of cherries, etc

Strawberries in California are fucking delicious, even the half-rotten ones they sell at Target