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Local bamboo shoots hit the market in Ningbo

Cold wind brought the freshest delicacy-- Leisun, a kind of bamboo shoots, which came out from the ground in the frog of bitter winter.

On December 2nd, Mao Guocun, a farmer from Shimen Village, and his companions stepped on the soft chaff layer and dug the first batch of Leisun this winter in the bamboo forest with special iron tongs at the Ningbo Organic Leisun Base in Xiaoxiao Village, Xikou Town.

“We laid the chaff on November 16th , and only half a month later, Leisun came out.” Mao Guocun said that there was a poor production at present, with only thirty to forty kilograms per person.

It’s the best time to savor Leisun, which has pink shell and tastes juicy and tender. As the “hometown of bamboo shoots in China”, Xikou owns the producing area of 40,000 mu (2,667 hectares). Leisun covered by chaff and straws when growing is of best quality, and it is a necessary dish for Ningbo citizens on the Chinese New Year table.

Yu Rukun, the head of Yinlong Bamboo Shoots Cooperative, said that due to the high temperature in autumn this year, the ground temperature of bamboo forest, combined with the fungus chaff together with rice chaff, better heat preservation and warming got ensured. After several rains, Leisun came out quickly, 10 days earlier than last year.

“Right now, there is a few local bamboo shoots on the market. Most of the bamboo shoots bought by citizens on the market are from Jiangxi, Fujian and other places.” Ru Kun added.

The retail price of bamboo shoots from other places is around 30 yuan ($4.3) per kilogram, while the wholesale price of local bamboo shoots is about 36 yuan ($5.2) per kilogram and the retail price is about 55 yuan ($7.9) per kilogram. Only after December 20th, Leisun will be in large quantities on the market for the New Year’s Day and Spring Festival, also with price returning to earth.

Fresh winter bamboo shoots comes along with Leisun. Due to a deficiency in quantity, the market retail price is 50 yuan ($7.2) to 60 yuan ($8.6) per kilogram

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