Pingtan, a coastal area in Fujian Province known as the closest point on the Chinese mainland to the island of Taiwan, serves as a key pilot zone for cross-Straits integration. This August, the air in Pingtan wafts with the fragrance of a special crop—Taiwanese golden passion fruit—which has just welcomed a bountiful harvest, drawing local residents and tourists eager to taste the sweet, juicy fruit.

The success of this tropical crop in Pingtan is largely thanks to Taiwan compatriots who recognized the area's suitable climate for cultivation. Liu Renxing, one of the first Taiwan compatriots to grow passion fruit in Pingtan, started his trial planting three years ago. "I noticed Pingtan's weather was perfect for this variety, and that first harvest exceeded all expectations,"Liu said, recalling how his fruits were snapped up even before reaching the market due to their excellent taste and quality.

Su Wenzhen (center), a compatriot from Taiwan, and local growers sort fresh passion fruits together.

Another agricultural expert from Taiwan, Su Wenzhen, took the cultivation a step further. After testing several Taiwanese fruit varieties in Pingtan, he found passion fruit to be the most adaptable. By grafting Taiwan's "Qinmi No.9" variety with local species and studying Pingtan's climate data to confirm suitability, Su developed a new, even sweeter strain named "Fujian-Taiwan No.1." This year, his first crop of "Fujian-Taiwan No.1" yielded an impressive 2,000 kilograms.

Local farmers have quickly joined in, lured by the fruit's higher profits compared to traditional crops like peanuts and sweet potatoes. Li Yuanzhao, a farmer in Pingtan, planted over 30 mu (about 2 hectares) of passion fruit for the first time this year. "The yield and taste are better than I thought, and I estimate I can earn over 10,000 yuan per mu,"he said, noting the clear economic benefit of switching to this crop.

Lin Haiyan, another local farmer, partnered with Su Wenzhen to grow more than 100 mu (around 6.7 hectares) of the fruit, now in its second harvest season. "Under Su's guidance, I've mastered all the planting techniques,"Lin shared. She added that she is exploring ways to expand the product line, including making passion fruit jam, juice, and dried fruits to add more value and capitalize even further.

The fruit has also won the hearts of local residents. Zeng Taibin has become a regular at the passion fruit plantations. "These passion fruits are sweeter and more delicious than others I've tried,"he said while picking up his annual purchase. "I always buy extra to send to my family members living outside Pingtan."

Despite occasional wind and rain, this year's passion fruit crop remains plump and plentiful. As more farmers in Pingtan embrace the cultivation of this Taiwanese variety, the fruit continues to be a popular choice for both locals and visitors looking to savor a taste of cross-Straits agricultural collaboration.