Colorful cherry tomatoes in Sanya boost Nanfan's agriculture

A researcher monitors the growth of cherry tomatoes at the Nanfan Breeding Base of Hainan State Farms Academy of Sciences Group Co Ltd. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

The cherry tomatoes are flourishing in Sanya. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

Around the Spring Equinox, the fourth of the 24 solar terms starting on March 20, the cherry tomatoes in Sanya hit their peak harvest season.

At the field demonstration area of the 2026 Seed Congress in Yazhou National Modern Agricultural (Seed Industry) Industrial Park, cherry tomatoes in vibrant shades of red, yellow, black and orange are thriving, creating a lively spring scene.

Nearby, at the Nanfan Breeding Base of Hainan State Farms Academy of Sciences Group Co Ltd, over 1,000 new cherry tomato varieties are ripening.

Researchers are busy picking and tasting the fruits, and taking notes. The ample sunlight and mild temperatures around the Spring Equinox make it the perfect time for tomatoes to accumulate sugars.

The popcorn-flavored tomatoes which recently became a hit with buyers were developed by the team led by Professor Luo Jie from the School of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University. Luo is also the chief scientist at the Yazhou Bay National Laboratory.

This innovation is the result of three years of efforts by employing gene editing technology.

The meeting of the Spring Equinox and Sanya's colorful cherry tomatoes symbolizes a vibrant blend of seasonal change and agricultural vitality, showcasing the growth of Sanya's tropical, high-efficiency agriculture and the development of "Nanfan Silicon Valley."