Chengcheng Apples

Chengcheng Apples

　　Chengcheng apples are a specialty of Chengcheng County in Weinan City, Shaanxi Province. Chengcheng is one of China’s top 30 apple-producing counties and a national apple standardization demonstration zone. The apples from Chengcheng are popular in Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guangzhou, and other regions.

　　Chengcheng is a traditional agricultural county situated in the northeastern part of the Weibei Plateau in Shaanxi. It has a warm temperate continental monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of 12°C and rainfall of 549 mm. The area experiences distinct seasons, abundant sunshine, and large diurnal temperature variations. It lies within the world’s prime apple-growing belt that best meets the seven key indicators for apple cultivation. The county is recognized as a national agricultural standardization demonstration county, one of China’s top 30 apple-producing counties, a national apple standardization demonstration zone, and a key high-quality apple production base in the province.

　　In recent years, Chengcheng has adjusted its apple varieties and planting layout according to the strategy of “developing late-maturing fresh varieties in the northern premium production zone, medium–early maturing varieties in the central and southern areas, and processing varieties in the southern region.” The county has expanded its apple cultivation area and comprehensively promoted four key high-quality fruit technologies: major tree reshaping, strong branch spreading, precise fertilization, and pollution-free cultivation. To date, the total fruit-growing area has reached 500,000 mu, including 430,000 mu of apple orchards. The rate of high-quality apples has risen to over 80%, with an annual fruit output of 400,000 tons and annual fruit industry revenue of 1.5 billion yuan. Certified green fruit bases cover 110,000 mu, and certified organic fruit areas span 16,500 mu. The “SOD + Milk + Honey” apples are especially favored by consumers, while brands such as “Chengcheng,” “Shanxing,” and “Dibi” are gaining increasing recognition.