After more than a month of wait, Baihe strawberries are about to have their secondhigh-yield harvest period.

The second crop is ripening, with better quality, size, aroma and taste than the first crop, according to Shanghai Lvyan Organic Agricultural Products Cooperative.

At 10am, the strawberry greenhouses of the cooperative were filled with a rich and fruity fragrance. Baihe Beauty, a strawberry variety, looked particularly tempting.

The new variety, jointly developed by the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Baihe Town,boastshigh yields and early maturity. It ripens nearly a month earlier than the traditional Hong Yan variety, effectively filling the market gap in the early strawberry season.

"This is our first year growing the new variety. Due to weather conditions, the first crop was quite small, but the second crop looks very promising," said Jiang Ping, head of the cooperative.

Baihe Beauty not only retains the classic sweet aroma of strawberries but also has significantly reduced sourness through targeted breeding, said Jiang. The flesh is soft, juicy and rich in fragrance, yet firm enough for long-distance transportation and gift sales.

"Based on current growth in the greenhouses, we expect yields to be about 20 percent higher than ordinary varieties. Market response from strawberry lovershas been excellent."

Another new variety He Mei Mei features a unique pale pinkish-orange skin and smooth, creamy flesh. Its delicate, elegant aroma fills a niche for high-end and differentiated products. Although its growth cycle is slightly longer than Baihe Beauty, its yield can be more than double that of traditional varieties.

In addition to the two new varieties, Baihe Beauty and He Mei Mei, traditional varieties such as Hong Yan and Black Beauty have also entered their second harvest period.

As a major strawberry-producing area in Shanghai, Baihe Town has cultivated strawberries in red, pink, white and black varieties for many years, offering a range of soft, sweet tastes. Various strawberry-based products have also become new favorites among young consumers and are well received in the market.