Loquat in Mengzi County is renowned for its quality and quantity. [Provided to InKunming]

Mouthwatering cherries come into season in April. [Provided to InKunming]

[InKunming--Yunnan] Mengzi County is rich of various fruits all the year around. As the Qingming Festival (Tomb-sweeping Day) approaches, fruits such as loquat, mulberry, and cherry usher in the season of maturity.

During the 3-day holiday (from April 5 to 7), intended travelers can eat these delicious fruits in Mengzi. Time for traveling from Kunming to Mengzi has been shortened to 3 hours after the open of Shilin-Mengzi Expressway, which is more convenient than ever before.

Sweet loquats

Mengzi County has boasted a long history in growing loquats, especially in towns and villages such as Qilubai (期路白), Xin’ansuo(新安所), Zhi Village(芷村), Wenlan(文澜), Caoba(草坝), Yuguopu(雨过铺).

Among them, Xin’ansuo is nearest to Mengzi County, which only costs 15 minutes to drive between the two places. The farthest one is Qilubai Town, which is 30 minutes’ drive away from Mengzi County.

Loquats in Mengzi County boast their merits of being big and sweet. The price of loquat is 15 yuan to 20 yuan per jin(0.5 kilogram).

Red cherries

April is also a harvest season of cherries in Laozhai Village of Mengzi County. Laozhai Town is 50 kilometers, about 1-hour’s drive away from Mengzi County. The price of cherry, which reaches 25 yuan per jin(0.5 kilogram) , is a little bit higher than that of last year due to frost that hit the province not long ago.

Some cherry planters also cater foods and accommodation services to travelers in their homes. Travelers who eat foods there are free to eat cherries in their cherry fields.

Delicious mulberries

Mulberry fields are mainly distributed in Caoba Town(草坝镇) of Mengzi County. Over 5,000 mu mulberries are growing in the town now. Besides, Lengquan Town(冷泉镇) and Wenlan Town(文澜镇) also have mulberries grown there.

Among all the places, the most recommended one to eat mulberries is the Institute of Silkworm and Honey, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Science. Mulberry field has an area of 750 mu in the institute, with 46 kinds of mulberries introduced from Japan and across the country. Plucking season for mulberries in the institute will last from the end of March until the end of April. Up to now, the institute receives around 1,500 people per day.

Driving from Mengzi County to the institute, travelers shall go a distance of 30 kilometers, which usually costs half an hour in maximum.

Travelers can eat mulberries in the institute for free, after paying 10 yuan per person for the entrance fee. If you want to take some mulberries back to home, the price is around 10 yuan per kilogram.

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                                                                    (Editors: Tracy, Cathy Chen)