Waxberries are on display at the 26th Xianju Waxberry Festival that kicked off in Xianju county of Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on June 8. [Photo/taizhou.com.cn]

The 26th Xianju Waxberry Festival kicked off in Xianju county of Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on June 8.

The festival's opening ceremony marked the inauguration of the China Waxberry Industry Alliance and the start of a campaign that grants free entry to Shenxianju, a national 5A scenic spot in Xianju.

It also included a food fiesta, featuring 41 booths selling local delicacies such as Michelin-starred Xianju roasted cake, savory noodle dishes, and unique lamb hoof.

The festival, established in 1998, serves as a platform for Xianju to showcase its culture and economy to the world.

Today, Xianju is home to 33,000 households engaged in waxberry planting and 450 waxberry cooperatives, which had a total output of over 1 billion yuan ($140.44 million) by the end of 2022 and a brand value of around 2.5 billion yuan.

The waxberry industry has also helped local farmers to increase their incomes, thus pushing Xianju towards its goal of becoming a development leader in mountainous areas in Zhejiang.

China is the largest producer of waxberries worldwide, accounting for more than 90 percent of the global crop, with the main production areas located in Zhejiang, Yunnan, and Hunan provinces.