When the supermarkets in the West offer all fruits all year 
round the thrill of seeing the new seasonal produce is lost. There’s something exciting about seeing the first watermelons of the year, the first strawberries, the first pineapples, the first mangoes sold off the backs of lorries and pavements throughout the city.
Farmers drive their fruit-laden trucks into the city or walk the streets dangling heavy baskets from a pole balanced across their shoulders.
When I first got to Nanjing there were little oranges everywhere, followed by strawberries then mangoes, pineapples and now cherries and watermelons. It wasn’t until I got to Nanjing that I tried my first lychee and I’m a big fan – what a fantastic fruit and thankfully cheap. 
It’s watermelon time at the moment and every street seems to be piled high with these green beauties. I have never been a big fan of watermelon – too much water, too many pips and not enough flavour but I find myself buying them just because they look so good when you cut them open. The farmers bring their stock, lay it out on the pavement and then sleep next to it.
Of course you can still get the imported fruit which is very expensive Eating local is not only cheap but supports the farmers and keeps you in touch with the seasons.