I got this from the link....

Harvest: Loquat fruits should be allowed to ripen fully before harvesting. They reach maturity in about 90 days from full flower opening. When ripe the fruit develops a distinctive color, depending on the cultivar, and begins to soften. Unripe fruits do not ripen properly off the tree and are excessively acid. Harvest time in California is from March to June. The fruit is difficult to separate from the cluster stems without tearing and must be carefully clipped individually or the whole cluster removed and the fruit then snipped off. Ripe fruit may be stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks.

So did your fruit change color and soften before you ate it?

Here is a link that might be useful: LOQUAT Fruit Facts

Yes, I waited until the fruit was a bright orange yellow and was soft but not squishy. Some of them are beginning to brown and rot on the tree so I know they are as ripe as they will get.

I expected the squirrels and the mocking birds to hit the trees hard for fruit but they are not interested. Guess they are waiting for the figs and persimmons to come in. Last year the squirrels took a bite out of every persimmon on the two trees before they ripened and ruined all of the fruit. I didn't thnk they would pass on the loquats. Perhaps they are too sour for them also.

I find the fruit gets better the longer it fruits.They are grown a lot in the south my grand kids loved them

So maybe the fruit will be better in a couple of years?

that's possible, or it needs to ripen more. are these seedlings? (every seedling I had tastes good anyway)

The oldest tree was planted five years ago and is 12-15 feet tall. The four younger ones were planted two years ago and are 10-12 feet tall. No seedlings.

Are they a variety you got from a nursery? If not, you probably just have a random seedling. Just like any fruit, named varieties all have different flavors, and even the named grafted varieties have some which taste much better than others. Some are really sweet, some are bland. But a non-grafted seedling--who knows what you get??

Carla in Sac