But a greengrocer in the city says if customers want the seasonal fruit in winter they should expect to pay the price.
A concerned reader contacted the Otago Daily Times about the price of watermelons.
The man, who did not wish to be named, wanted to know what was driving up the ``freakish'' prices, such as watermelon for $5.99 a kg at Foodlands Four Square in Kaikorai Valley.
A staff member at Foodlands Four Square, who did not want to be named, said a ``huge'' watermelon from Foodlands Four Square yesterday cost more than $40.
Veggie Boys co-owner Marty Hay said watermelon at Veggie Boys yesterday also cost $5.99/kg.
The fruit was expensive because it was shipped from either Australia or Tonga.
When watermelon was air-freighted the price was higher, he said.
At $5.99/kg, customers were buying slices of watermelon rather than whole melons.
``You can't sell the big ones at that price.''
People disgruntled by the price ``can't get through their head'' watermelon was a summer fruit and it was winter in New Zealand, he said.
``People are expecting everything all year round now and it's very hard ... If they want it all year round they've got to pay the price.''
From today, Australian watermelons would be available in Veggie Boys for $2.99kg.
``The company I'm buying them off wants to move them,'' Mr Hay explained.
Foodstuffs spokeswoman Antoinette Laird the price of watermelons in its Dunedin shops ranged between $4.99kg and $7.19kg.
The watermelons were imported from Bundaberg, in Queensland.
The wholesale price was not expected to ``go any higher'' in the next month, she said.
``Predictions are that it should dip based on current forecasts from Australia - assuming no adverse weather or situations pop up.''
