Tangqi loquat

Tangqi Town, Yuhang District, Hangzhou City, located at the southern end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, belongs to the plain water network area, the soil is deep and fertile, the climatic conditions are suitable, it is very suitable for the growth of loquat, it is one of the four major producing areas of loquat in China, and is known as the hometown of loquat. Tangqi loquat has a history of nearly 1400 years, the yield is large, the variety is good, since the Tang Dynasty has been listed as a tribute, the fruit shape is beautiful, the color is golden, the fruit is large and the flesh is thick, the juice is sweet and sweet, the nutrition is rich, it is the geographical indication protection product recognized by the State Intellectual Property Office.

Tangqi mainly cultivates 5 loquat varieties: "Da Hong Pao", "Soft White Sand", "Red Hair Girl", "Yang Dun", "Clamp Foot", especially "Soft White Sand" is the most, the fruit is oblong, the skin has sesame spots, the flesh is white as jade, soft and sweet, and the fructose content can reach 17%, which is a national treasure level high-quality variety. However, the resistance of "soft strip white sand" is poor, the output is unstable, and the price of "small year" can rise to 60-70 yuan/catty.

Tangqi Town will hold the loquat festival during the loquat maturity period (mid to late May every year), which generally lasts until June, and has been held for 20 sessions so far. During the period, people can buy in the designated exhibition area, and there are also retail merchants along the way in Tangqi Town, but the quality is uneven, and there is no guarantee that the vendors will not adulterate, so it is recommended to go to the orchard to pick the most authentic and fresh loquat.

Tangqi loquat generally matures from west to east, and you can also visit the natural scenery along the way by driving. Even if they do not contact the orchard to make an appointment, local farmers will warmly welcome them and lead consumers to pick in their own fields, only picking without the general 30 yuan/person, and the purchase will be sold according to the market price, and the large quantity can be purchased at the wholesale price. Regarding the skills of selecting and picking loquats, the local people have sayings such as "picking ripe but not picking raw, ripening fast in hot weather, slow ripening in cool weather, sweet loquat in the sun, and light taste of loquat on rainy days", "small loquat ripening fast", "picking yang fruit but not yin fruit" and so on.

Place of purchase: local orchard, designated exhibition area