As the year winds down, strawberries begin to show up in stores, fruit shops, and even on the street. This sweet and juicy fruit begins to be harvested towards the end of the winter season and shows up around Beijing at this time too. More about the strawberries found in Beijing continues below.

Although strawberries can be available year-round, it’s the winter time that produces the majority of them within China. In Beijing, strawberries are grown and harvested in the outer suburbs, usually from late January to February. Earlier than this, strawberries found in stores are usually produced in large scale farms in Sichuan or Shandong provinces. There are different varieties being produced in all regions, and in strawberry farms around Beijing, there are over two dozen different varieties grown.

The different varieties on offer have changed over the years to cater to Chinese consumers’ tastes. In the past, the larger American species were very popular, but have been overtaken by the smaller, fragrant and sweet, yet milky, Japanese species. These are favored for the former species can be both sour and sweet, while Asians prefer the sweeter taste of the latter species.

During the winter time around February, Beijingers may visit strawberry farms and go strawberry picking. Likewise, they may visit these farms to purchase better-quality product than those typically found in supermarkets.