The Famous Fujian Feast “Yidu Loquat Feast” Kicks Off in Style
A taste of mountains and the sea, inspired by loquats
The famous Fujian feast “Yidu Loquat Feast” kicks off in style
Visitors at the “Yidu Loquat Feast.”
With spring’s return comes the season of ripening loquats. On the morning of April 13, Yidu Town in Fuqing City came alive with excitement as the vibrant Yidu Loquat Consumption Season kicked off. Under the theme “Nationwide Shopping to Boost Consumption, Urban-Rural Collaboration for Shared Prosperity,” the event seamlessly combined food, culture, consumption, and common prosperity into a lively spring celebration. Centered around loquats, the event launched a “Loquat Feast,” which not only served as a vivid example of the “One County, One Table of Dishes” policy but also highlighted the deep integration of rural revitalization and consumption upgrading. The event drew a large crowd of locals and tourists eager to partake in this feast of mountain and sea flavors.
Focusing on “Connecting Production with Sales, and Promoting Urban-Rural Shared Prosperity,” the event featured a loquat industry exhibition area, a rural specialty market, and a tasting area for the “One County, One Table of Dishes” loquat feast. It showcased Fuqing’s high-quality fresh loquats, highly processed products, and the achievements of cultural tourism and agricultural innovation. It also created a one-stop consumption experience integrating production, sales, tourism, and shopping through interactive activities such as production and sales agreements and live streams to support local farmers, fully showcasing the achievements of rural revitalization.
A feast of mountain and sea flavors
The “Shared Prosperity Market”
Yidu, one of the three major loquat production areas in Fujian Province, boasts an area of about 50,000 mu dedicated to loquat cultivation. In recent years, Yidu has introduced premium varieties and adopted standardized cultivation techniques, significantly enhancing both the quality and efficiency of its loquat industry. The “Yidu Loquat” has been recognized with honors such as “National Famous, Special, and Excellent New Agricultural Product” and “National Geographical Indication Certification Trademark,” becoming a signature brand of Fuqing’s agricultural economy.
Every part of the loquat is a treasure. Centered around “Yidu Loquat,” a national geographical indication product, this “Loquat Feast” incorporated the fruit’s flesh, flowers, leaves, and roots into traditional mountain-and-sea ingredients from Fuqing. Carefully curated by Fujian cuisine masters, it offered a rich tasting experience where a single fruit brought forth a hundred flavors.
After six years, the “Yidu Loquat Feast,” honored as a Famous Fujian Feast, made a much-anticipated return, delighting guests with 15 exquisite dishes. The menu featured everything from appetizers and hot dishes to staple food and desserts, with loquat taking center stage in each. Paired with local mountain and sea specialties from Fuqing, the feast invited diners on a delicious journey from orchard to table.
From the aromatic Stewed Muscovy Duck with Female Crab and Loquat Blossoms to the glossy, mouthwatering Loquat Sweet and Sour Pork, each dish was a feast for the senses. At the main venue in Yidu Middle School, guests eagerly snapped photos of the loquat-themed dishes before savoring every bite.
Zhang Xiaodong, a visitor from Heilongjiang, said, “I used to only know that loquats could be eaten as fruit. I never imagined they could be made into so many different dishes! This meal not only showcases unique flavors but also offers the authentic taste of the mountains and sea.”
At the banquet, several international guests from Africa caught the eye. With curiosity and excitement, they gathered around the table to try the “Loquat Feast” for the first time, a meal brimming with Eastern flavors. After savoring the dishes, they couldn’t help but give a thumbs-up and snap photos of each dish, eager to share this taste of China with their friends and family abroad.
The “Loquat Feast” is more than just a meal; it’s a display of Yidu Town’s efforts to highlight local characteristics and drive the integration of agriculture and tourism. In recent years, the town has leveraged its vast loquat industry covering thousands of mu to explore the innovative “Loquat+” model, creating loquat-based dishes, developing deep-processed loquat products, and unlocking new paths toward shared prosperity.
Connecting production with sales, and promoting urban-rural shared prosperity
The “Loquat Feast” was steaming hot, and the “Shared Prosperity Market” was bustling with people. That day, local farmers and cooperatives in Yidu Town showcased their specialty agricultural products. Stalls were brimming with loquats, loquat syrup, loquat tea, loquat flower honey, tea oil, and more, offering a dazzling variety of choices.
During a break in the feast, the event reached its climax with the Urban-Rural Shared Prosperity · Strategic Cooperation Signing Ceremony. Representatives from the outlet of Fuzhou Municipal Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives and the Yidu Agricultural Cooperative took the stage to sign an agreement. The two parties committed to delivering officially certified, quality-guaranteed Yidu loquats to thousands of households through both online and offline platforms.
It is reported that to promote the integration of loquat production and sales, effectively linking the strategies of “rural revitalization” and “consumption upgrading,” and helping farmers increase their income while transforming the industry, the organizers launched an initiative of shared prosperity by brand co-creation. This initiative attracted well-known brands such as Zeekr, Jia Duo Bao, BAIC Group Off-Road Vehicle, and Huatang to join. By using the “Loquat Feast” as a platform and the consumption season as a driving force, they aim to build a symbiotic and shared prosperity ecosystem connecting agriculture, businesses, consumers, and the regional economy.
A relevant official from Yidu Town in Fuqing City stated that from a single fruit to a grand feast, and from a single stall to an entire industry chain, Yidu Town is using a “small loquat” to connect agricultural productivity, increased incomes for farmers, and the vision of a beautiful rural landscape. (Reporters: Wang Guanghui/Text, Shi Meixiang/Photo)