District bursts with seasonal delicacies

In Qingpu District, it's that time of year for seasonal loquat and wild rice shoots, or jiaobai.

Tasty yellow loquats can be found around the Yangtze River Delta region in May and June.

However, this year at the Qingpu Lianyi Loquat Garden, the fruit is more difficult to sell due to the COVID-19 resurgence.

Grown on 350 mu (23.3 hectares) of land, 50,000 kilograms of loquats are predicted this year, according to garden owner.

With assistance from Qingpu District, the loquat garden now sells its fruit through online platforms.

Fresh, wild rice shoots can also be found in Qingpu markets.

The green, wild rice shoots blanket Liantang Town's fields, giving the area vigor and vitality.

"The growth of wild rice shoots is gratifying this year, and the yield is about 2,000 kilograms per mu," said Xie Qiuhua, a wild rice shoots farmer.

The seasonal vegetable is a fixture on dining tables in Shanghai and neighboring areas.

In spite of lockdown, sales of wild rice shoots were stable because of group-buying.

Local farmers usually begin picking their crops every day around 5am, and the harvest season runs from May to September.