Waxberries produced in Xianju county, Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: tzfb001]

Waxberries produced in Taizhou's Xianju county hit the market on May 14, the earliest date yet that the seasonal fruit has started being sold in the city.

The waxberries were an early variety cultivated in digitalized greenhouses in Xiaoyang village, Fuying sub-district, Xianju.

Waxberry planting in Xianju dates back more than 1,000 years. Waxberries grown in the county, which has favorable weather and soil conditions, are sweeter and juicier than those from other areas of China, and they also ripen earlier, usually at the beginning of June.

The fruit produced in the area can weigh up to 40 grams each, reaching the size of a ping-pong ball. In recent years, Xianju waxberry has become all the rage in China and foreign countries alike.

This year, Xianju expects to welcome a bumper harvest of higher-quality waxberries. The fruit's output volume in the county is projected to top 100,000 metric tons.

Zhejiang currently has 1.3 million mu (86,666.67 hectares) of waxberry plantations that can produce 600,000 tons of fruit worth nearly 5 billion yuan ($706.98 million), official statistics show.