What Is the World’s Most Expensive Fruit?世界上最贵的水果是什么?

Michelle Gabriel

We dont usually think about fruit being that expensive. In fact， we can finda banana for less than a dollar in most places！

我们通常不会想到水果会那么贵。事实上，我们在大多数地方都能找到一根不到一美元的香蕉！

Fruit is meant to be a good part of a balanced1 diet， so even if you oftenspend a few dollars more on your favorite fruit， at least its worth it.

水果是均衡飲食的重要组成部分，所以即使你经常在你最喜欢的水果上多花几块钱，至少它是值得的。

Even pineapples， a tropical2 fruit which can only be grown in certainclimates3， are still easy to find almost anywhere. Thanks to mass production4，even after shipping costs they still wont be too expensive at the end. But what ifI tell you there is a certain type of pineapple that is worth thousands of dollars？

甚至菠萝这种只能在特定气候条件下生长的热带水果，在几乎任何地方都很容易找到。由于它是大规模生产的，即使加上运输成本，它们最终也不会太贵。但如果我告诉你有一种菠萝值几千美元呢？

To be fair5， that wouldnt be too far off from how things were a few centuries ago.

平心而论，这与几个世纪前的情况相差并不太远。

Looking into the past

回顾过去

For better understanding， lets go back to the past！

为了更好地理解这一事实，让我们回到过去吧！

In the 1700s， pineapples used to be a symbol of status6 and wealth7.

在18 世纪，菠萝曾是地位和财富的象征。

This was because they werent grown in Europe， so when world explorers8brought back this unusual new fruit， its supply9 was low and demand10 was high.In those days， one pineapple would cost todays equivalent11 to $8，000 dollars！

这是因为它们不是生长在欧洲的，所以当各国探险家们带回这种不常见的新水果时，它变得供不应求。那时候，一个菠萝的价值相当于今天的八千美元！

Of course， pineapples are now easily bought by everyone， so the symbol isgone. But there are still a few pineapples with a high price tag on them.

当然，现在几乎每个人都很容易能买到菠萝，于是这个象征就消失了。但是仍然有一些菠萝上贴着昂贵的价格标签。

At the Lost Gardens of Heligan in the United Kingdom， youll find pineapplesgrown in mud structures12 heated with rotting manure13. But dont worry—thepineapples never come into the manure.

在英国海利根的失落花园，你会发现菠萝生长在用发酵肥料加热的泥土建筑中。但别担心———菠萝从来没有真正接触到肥料。

Its an old way to grow this tropical fruit in a colder climate. In fact， thestructure these rare pineapples are grown in was unearthed14 in 1991. It was rebuiltjust two years later and then could be used as before.

这是在较冷气候下种植这种热带水果的古老方法。事实上，种植这些珍稀菠萝的建筑是1991 年出土的，修了两年就可以和以前一样使用。

How much does it cost to grow these pineapples？

种植这些菠萝要花多少钱？

These special pineapples arent even on the market—so theyre priceless15.But it takes two years to grow a pineapple， and the cost to make each pineapple is$1，300. So if theyre not for sale， where do they go？

这些特别的菠萝根本不在市场上出售，所以它们是无价的。然而，种植一个菠萝需要两年的时间，每个菠萝的成本是1300 美元。如果它们不出售，它们会去哪里呢？

The successfully16 grown pineapples go right back to the staff17 who grewthem as an appreciation18 for growing them in the first place. But， one of thepineapples has been given away.

种植成功的菠萝首先直接回到种植菠萝的员工那里，作为对他们种植菠萝的感谢。但是，其中一个菠萝被送人了。

The second pineapple ever grown in the Lost Gardens was given to QueenElizabeth II as a gift for her 50th wedding anniversary19.

英国失落花园中种植的第二个菠萝被赠送给了英国女王伊丽莎白二世，作为她结婚50 周年纪念日的礼物。

If one of these pineapples were to go up for auction20 or sale， thesepineapples would be worth $16，000！

如果这些菠萝中有一个被拿去拍卖或出售，这种菠萝会价值16000 美元！

Notes

1. balanced 平衡的

2. tropical 热带的；热带地区的

3. climate 气候

4. mass production 大量生产

5. fair 公平的；合理的

6. status  地位

7. wealth 财富；富有

8. explorer 探险者；勘探者

9. supply 供给；补给

10. demand 要求；需求

11. equivalent  等量物；等价物

12. mud structure 泥结构

13. rotting manure 腐烂中的肥料

14. unearth 从地下挖掘；挖出

15. priceless 无价的

16. successfully 成功地；順利地

17. staff 全体员工；全体雇员

18. appreciation 感激；感谢

19. anniversary 周年纪念日

20. auction 拍卖