Rhizome shoots hit the market in Ningbo

Towering bamboo trees in Dalei village, Haishu district, Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Rhizome shoots recently entered the market in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province.

The harvest season of rhizome shoots, the upper part of bamboo rhizomes, ranges from June to September, according to Wang Guoren, a farmer from Dalei village, Ningbo's Haishu district.

The market demand for rhizome shoots has always been short of supply, Wang added, noting that the shoots that are harvested in the morning can be sold out before noon.

Dalei's bamboo forest spreads 8,000 mu (533.3 hectares) and the output of rhizome shoots is estimated to reach 75,000 kilograms this year. They are currently priced at more than 30 yuan ($4.62) per kilogram due to their better quality and lower output volume when compared with previous years, according to Wang Bin, the village's Party chief.

In the future, the village plans to further expand the sales of rhizome shoots by tapping business opportunities online like commercial livestreams. The rising popularity of rural tourism will also fuel sales growth, as numerous visitors are now purchasing bamboo shoots directly from farmers.

Freshly harvested rhizome shoots from Dalei village. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Wang Guoren, a farmer from Dalei village, harvests rhizome shoots. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]