“We wait all year for this little taste of sweetness.” As May approaches, the green of Tangxi’s loquats is quietly giving way to a flush of gold, and the air is getting noticeably sweeter. The annual loquat feast is expected to hit full swing around May 10.

This year, fruit lovers have a real treat in store: thanks to a mild winter, the Tangxi crop is forecast to top 6,000 metric tons—a jump of more than 20% from last year. Prices for the prized white-fleshed variety should land between 30 and 50 yuan per kilogram, while the red-fleshed type will go for 15 to 20 yuan per kilogram.

Even better, the flavor is shaping up to be slightly superior to previous years—think silkier flesh, juicier bites, and richer taste. Premium white loquats easily hit 14+ Brix, and even the reds clock in above 12 Brix.

“This is a ‘big year’ for Tangxi loquats, and we growers couldn’t be busier or happier,” said Cai Binjun, head of Tangbei Orchard. “Our greenhouse loquats are yielding about 400 kilograms per mu. The first batch of top-grade fruit can sell for as high as 200 yuan a kilo, and longtime regulars already snapped up pre-orders.”

Nature takes its own sweet time: loquats will ripen gradually from southwest to northeast, with different areas lagging five to seven days apart. The prime picking window this year opens around May 15, with sales running through early June.

Before long, Tangxi’s central loquat market and multiple street sales points will swing open. Meanwhile, authorities are rolling out everything from special packaging inspections and roadside-vending patrols to unified packaging promotions and vendor training sessions—all part of a no-nonsense drive to keep the market orderly, protect Tangxi’s golden brand, and let every consumer enjoy full-on “loquat freedom.