Changwu Apples

Changwu Apples

Changwu Apples is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　 Changwu County boasts deep soil layers, abundant sunlight, and significant day-night temperature variations, making it one of the country’s premier regions for growing apples. The apples produced here are “large in size, rich in color, crisp and tender, sweet and fragrant, pollution-free, and highly resistant to storage and transport,” having won over 50 awards at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. Guided by the principle of “expanding area, improving varieties, building brands, and strengthening the industry,” the county has accelerated the production of “green, organic, and pollution-free” apples, vigorously promoting four key technologies. The total apple orchard area has reached 215,000 mu, with 21 provincial and municipal high-quality apple demonstration gardens, 56 specialized fruit-growing villages, 8 overall fruit industry advancement demonstration villages, and 2 hail net demonstration sites established. Total apple output has reached 180,000 tons, with annual output value exceeding 350 million yuan. The per capita income from fruit farming among farmers is 770 yuan. In 2007, the county was designated by the National Standards Committee as a national standardized production demonstration county for export apples, and in 2008, it was honored as the “Hometown of Chinese Apples” by the China Fruit Marketing Association. The county has prioritized the production of safe, high-quality fruit, completing certification for 50,000 mu of pollution-free and 100,000 mu of green fruit bases, and has vigorously promoted the development of ecological orchards, identifying three ecological orchard demonstration villages and five circular agriculture demonstration villages. In line with the principles of “planning, guidance, regulation, and service,” the county has also developed a diversified fruit industry. Currently, the county has built 12 controlled-atmosphere and cold storage facilities for fruit, with a total storage capacity of 82,000 tons, accounting for 46% of the county’s total apple output. There is one fruit processing enterprise with an annual production capacity of 12,000 tons, eight fruit packaging enterprises, and 325 fruit marketing intermediary organizations, employing over 2,200 people. Changwu apples are now sold across more than 20 provinces and municipalities in China, as well as in Hong Kong and Macao, and are exported to multiple countries and regions including Russia. In 2007, the county exported 1,500 tons of apples, earning over 2 million US dollars in foreign exchange.