Huocheng Tree-Dried Apricots

Huocheng Tree-Dried Apricots

Huocheng tree-dried apricots are a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　 Tree-dried apricots are commonly known as "died-on-the-tree," "hanging tree-dried," or also called little golden fruits. These apricots do not fall to the ground when ripe but naturally dry on the tree, hence the name "tree-dried apricots."

　　 Tree-dried apricots are mainly grown in the area around the ancient city of Almaliq in Yili, Xinjiang, where the altitude exceeds 800 meters, there is abundant sunlight, and the temperature difference between day and night reaches 20 degrees, with no pollution. The produced tree-dried apricots are round and jewel-like, golden yellow, small yet plump, sweet and delicious, with especially fragrant kernels. They serve as a signature local specialty for Yili tourism and are beloved by an increasing number of consumers both domestically and internationally.

　　 Ordinary apricots have very short shelf lives after ripening, lasting only about a week. In contrast, tree-dried apricots do not fall when ripe. Under the hot and dry summer climate, they naturally dehydrate on the tree. This process preserves their unique sweet flavor while allowing them to be stored for a long time—typically one to two years. It is a rare and excellent variety of apricot that can be eaten fresh, dried, or used for both flesh and kernels.

　　 The most distinctive feature of tree-dried apricots is that they offer a two-in-one eating experience. After enjoying the flesh, you can easily crack the pit with a light bite to reveal the kernel inside. The flesh is sweet, and the kernel is crispy and delicious. Tree-dried apricots are rich in natural fructose, with sugar content typically reaching 23%. They also contain protein, vitamins, fiber, amino acids, as well as nutrients such as iron, zinc, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. They are believed to promote blood circulation, invigorate energy, relieve coughs, moisten lungs, improve fitness, prevent cancer, extend life, beautify the skin, and are considered a purely natural health food.

　　 According to reports, tree-dried apricots were first introduced to Xiaomazha in Huocheng County (later becoming the 4th Company of the 61st Regiment's Orchard) in 1900 by a Uyghur man named Nulahong Yibulaimu from the former Soviet Union’s Tashkent (now the capital of Uzbekistan). He successfully grafted scion wood he brought back with wild apricot trees in his yard, resulting in seven or eight surviving "died-on-the-tree" trees that bore sweet and delicious fruit. These ancient "died-on-the-tree" trees were cut down after being knocked over by a strong wind in 1980. Currently, there are two 70-year-old "died-on-the-tree" trees in the 4th Company of the 61st Regiment’s Orchard, which were grafted using branches from Nulahong Yibulaimu’s apricot trees.

　　 In the early 1980s, workers in the 61st Regiment of the Huocheng Reclamation Area began introducing and propagating the "died-on-the-tree" trees, gradually expanding the planting area. By the late 1990s, the regiment had begun large-scale cultivation, which has now expanded to over 15,000 mu. The 61st Regiment of the Huocheng Reclamation Area has been honored as the "Hometown of China’s Tree-Dried Apricots." In 2010, the tree-dried apricots produced here received national geographical indication agricultural product protection certification.

　　 In recent years, Nulahong Yibulaimu’s relatives from Uzbekistan visited the 61st Regiment and took scion wood of the "died-on-the-tree" back to the place of origin for cultivation.

　　 To accelerate the development of the tree-dried apricot industry, the state included tree-dried apricot processing projects in the National Science and Technology Enrich-the-People and Strengthen-the-County initiative. Processing enterprises such as the Almaliq Golden Fruit Processing Factory and Xinjiang Tianyi Food Co., Ltd. were established. Naturally sun-dried "died-on-the-tree" apricots were brought into drying rooms, and many marketable new varieties were developed, such as bagged, bottled, boxed, and granular forms of dried apricots, apricot preserves, apricot kernels, and stuffed apricots.

　　 Centered around the specialty product of tree-dried apricots, a series of industries including planting, processing, sales, and agri-tourism have been formed. Tree-dried apricots have become a golden fruit for farmers to achieve prosperity.

　　 Fruit Products

　　 Geographical Scope

　　 Huocheng County is located in the western part of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It borders the Wenquan County and Bole City of the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture to the north along the Tianshan Mountains; faces the Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County across the Ili River to the south; neighbors Yining County and Yining City to the east; and shares a border with Kazakhstan to the west along the Khorgos River. The geographical indication protection area for Huocheng tree-dried apricots includes 11 townships and farms: Langan Township, Qingshuihe Town, Lucagou Town, Sandaohe Township, Shuiding Town, Huaiyuan Town, Liangfan Farm, Guozigou Ranch, Sanguan Township, Daxigou Township, and Sarbulake Town, encompassing 77 administrative villages. The geographical coordinates are between 80°11′ to 81°24′ east longitude and 43°39′ to 44°50′ north latitude, at an altitude of 540–1100 meters. The protected area for Huocheng tree-dried apricots covers 3,700 hectares, with an annual yield of 18,500 tons.

　　 Product Quality Characteristics

　　 1. External Sensory Characteristics: The fresh fruit has a bright yellowish-red color, sweet and fragrant flesh without sourness, a sweet and tender texture with rich juiciness and a strong apricot aroma. The dried fruit weighs 5–8 grams per piece, with firm, sweet, and fine flesh without residue. After dehydration, each kilogram of dried fruit consists of 74.5% flesh (25.5% pits), 11.4% kernels, and 14.1% shell. 2. Internal Quality: Huocheng tree-dried apricots have reducing sugar content between 8.5–12.5 (g/100g), protein content between 2.98–4.10 (g/100g), carotene content between 1.8–3.5 (mg/Kg), and potassium content between 2.05–3.05%. 3. Safety Requirements: The quality and safety of Huocheng tree-dried apricots should comply with the requirements for "stone fruits" as specified in the "Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture on Issuing the Testing Catalogue for 58 Types of Pollution-Free Agricultural Products Including Solanaceous Vegetables" (Nongban Zhi [2015] No. 4).