How “small apples” march into “big industry” in Yan’an

By Zhang Tie, Gong Shijian, People’s Daily
In early autumn, fragrance of apples filled the air in an orchard on the hills of Nangou village in Gaoqiao township, Ansai district, Yan’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi province. Branches of apple trees were weighed down by bright red apples.
It was a sunny day, a perfect time for harvesting. Fruit farmer Zhao Yongdong, 68, along with his fellow villagers, were busy picking, sorting and packing apples. Neatly stacked boxes of apples lined the orchard.
“Whenever the apples turn red, my heart is filled with joy,” Zhao said, smiling.
Every year, apples in orchards ripen to a brilliant red, bringing happiness to the people in Nangou village. In recent years, the apple industry in the village has flourished. By 2023, the villagers’ per capita disposable income reached 21,500 yuan ($3,027), while the village collective income hit 630,000 yuan.
Yan’an has a population of 2.26 million, and about 1 million are engaged in jobs related to the apple industry. Over 800,000 farmers benefit from the industry. Income from apple-related activities accounts for 61 percent of local farmers’ net operating income.
But how did they find this path to prosperity? Lu Shuguo, director of Yan’an’s fruit industry center, said that in 1940, the Yan’an academy of natural sciences introduced apple seedlings and began experimental planting in Guanghua Farm. In 1947, a young farmer named Li Xin’an from Asi village in Luochuan county brought back 200 apple saplings from Lingbao, central China’s Henan province, on the back of a mule.
“If you want to get rich, first plant trees—apple trees, money trees…” This familiar song has long been sung in Yan’an. Over the years, the locals have continuously explored and innovated, turning the once barren land of loess into fertile soil that now grows sweet and crisp apples. Today, Yan’an’s “small apples” are on their way to becoming a “big industry.”
Production: High-tech apple farming
Thanks to the city’s efforts to protect the flowers on apple trees in spring and the fruits in summer and autumn, as well as its promotion of year-round drought prevention, dwarfing and dense planting, and new technologies and methods, premium fruit rate in the city exceeds 85 percent.
Processing: Turning raw materials into refined products
In the exhibition hall of a biotechnology company in Luochuan, 25 products are displayed, including apple juice, apple vinegar, apple wine, and apple chips, all featuring apples on their packaging. Currently, Yan’an has nearly 30 fruit processing enterprises, with a capacity to process around 600,000 tons of apples annually.
Sales: From Yan’an to the world
Last winter, more than 40,000 kilograms of apples were loaded onto refrigerated trucks and shipped to Kazakhstan. That same season, farmer Hou Meilin from Nianpangou village in Linzhen township, Yan’an’s Baota district, earned 320,000 yuan from selling apples. Yan’an has built cold storage facilities with a capacity of over 1.66 million tons, utilizes the China-Europe Railway Express, allowing apples to be sold year-round, and expanding sales from domestic to global markets.
Guarantee: Apple-specific insurance
In 2019, Zhang Zhixue, a farmer from Daya village in Leichi township, Yanchang county, Yan’an decided to give apple insurance a try, paying a premium of 960 yuan. That same year, he received compensation for hail damage to his apple crop. “The cost is low, but it’s really helpful!” Zhang said. Six counties and districts in Yan’an have implemented a pilot project for apple insurance and futures, with over 360,000 mu (24,000 hectares) of orchards insured. The project benefits more than 30,000 farmers, provides over 3 billion yuan in coverage, and has paid out 110 million yuan in claims.
In 2023, Yan’an’s apple planting area exceeded 3.32 million mu, with a production of 4.64 million tons. The output from fresh fruits stood at 25.91 billion yuan, and that of the whole industrial chain reached 50.67 billion yuan.