Longhua Mountain Apricots

Longhua Mountain Apricots

　　Longhua Mountain Apricots are a specialty of Longhua County, Chengde City, Hebei Province. The county has consistently focused on developing the mountain apricot industry as a key livelihood and income-generating sector. Through years of continuous management and development, it has now become one of the larger and higher-quality mountain apricot resource regions in North China.

　　Longhua is situated at the eastern foothills of the Yanshan Mountains in the northern part of Hebei Province. The region features numerous mountains, rivers, and streams, and has a typical continental monsoon climate, with a forest coverage rate of 53.4%. It boasts vast mountainous areas and abundant economic forest resources, including nearly 800,000 mu of wild mountain apricot forests. Mountain apricots are versatile, serving edible, medicinal, and even fuel uses, and have a high survival rate for seedlings. The total area of mountain apricot forests in the region is 1.137 million mu, comprising 910,000 mu of artificially sown and wild mountain apricot forests, 165,000 mu of mountain apricot forests on converted farmland, 45,000 mu of mountain apricot forests planted on barren hills as part of forestry projects, and 17,000 mu of large-flat apricot forests. Over 80% of these apricot forests have entered their prime fruit-bearing period, mainly distributed across more than ten townships including Taipingzhuang and Zhongguan. The large-flat apricots are most concentrated in Xichuan and Beichuan townships.

　　In recent years, the county has vigorously developed mountain apricot bases, accelerated the grafting of wild mountain apricot trees, and actively explored industrial development pathways to enhance the comprehensive economic benefits of apricot forests. As a result, the mountain apricot industry has rapidly expanded and become one of the four leading agricultural sectors in the county. Statistics show that the county produces 10,800 tons of apricot kernels and 3,200 tons of apricot kernels annually, generating an annual output value of over 40 million yuan. In particular, in September 2007, the Longhua Xiangzhiang Food Co., Ltd., an agricultural product processing enterprise primarily using apricot kernels as raw materials, officially commenced production. This ended the county’s long-standing absence of an apricot kernel processing enterprise and marked the beginning of a fully integrated mountain apricot industry, creating favorable opportunities for further development and utilization of local mountain apricot resources. The company has invested a total of 120 million yuan, covers an area of 30 mu, and mainly produces a series of products such as debittered apricot kernels, apricot kernel oil, and full-fat apricot kernel powder. The first phase of the project can produce 3,000 tons of debittered apricot kernels annually, achieving an output value of 90 million yuan and a profit and tax of 10 million yuan. The second phase of the project, currently under preparation, is expected to generate an output value of 400 million yuan and a profit and tax of 50 million yuan upon completion, and will provide jobs for 300 people. With the support of the county’s Party committee and government, the company led the establishment of a Mountain Apricot Farmers’ Professional Cooperative in April 2007, which has attracted 8,650 members and influenced the development of over 900,000 mu of mountain apricot base industries across the county. In 2008, the cooperative was recognized as a municipal-level demonstration cooperative by Chengde City.