On the 3rd, a press conference was held by the Anshan Municipal Government Information Office, featuring the Municipal Agriculture and Rural Bureau, the Municipal Agriculture and Rural Development Center, the Haicheng Agriculture and Rural Bureau, and the Qianshan District Agriculture and Rural Bureau. The focus was on detailing the development plans for the city’s Nanguo pear industry in 2026, outlining current progress and fielding questions from the media.

In recent years, the agriculture department has focused on developing local specialty resources, transitioning the Nanguo pear industry from simple expansion to a model emphasizing quality and efficiency. This strategy has yielded results in four key areas. The city maintains a stable production base through standardized planting, with 350,000 mu dedicated to Nanguo pear cultivation, an average annual output of 370,000 tons, and a combined annual value exceeding 2.3 billion yuan. There are now five leading agricultural enterprises at or above the municipal level, along with 649 cooperatives and family farms. Notably, Qianshan District has established a provincial-level rural revitalization demonstration belt centered on Nanguo pears, while both Haicheng's Mafeng Town and Qianshan's Datun Town have received national recognition as agricultural industry strongholds for this fruit. A series of standardized production systems have been implemented, promoting green pest control, integrated water-fertilizer management, and drone-based plant protection, supported by weather index insurance.

The processing and logistics chains have also been strengthened. Eight key processing enterprises now produce items like Nanguo pear wine, paste, and juice, processing over 1,000 tons of fresh fruit annually and boosting the industry's added value by more than 30%. The city boasts 1,520 storage and preservation facilities, holding around 130,000 tons of pears each year. Professional markets, such as the one in Yaotun Village, Datun Town, facilitate sales of over 150,000 tons annually. This entire ecosystem—from production and storage to processing and marketing—supports approximately 80,000 households, or nearly 200,000 individuals.

Brand protection has been a priority, cementing the Nanguo pear's status as a signature product for Anshan. It has earned numerous accolades, including National Geographical Indication Product status and recognition as one of China's first Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. Seven enterprises have secured "Two Products and One Standard" certification, and several local brands have been named provincial-level famous agricultural product brands. The Anshan Nanguo Pear Association has been honored as a top inheritance group, and an industry alliance was successfully established this year. The annual Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival serves as a key platform to further enhance the brand's recognition.

To tell the story of the Nanguo pear and foster integrated agricultural, cultural, and tourism development, authorities have highlighted its century-old heritage. Five villages, including Duizhuangshi in Qianshan and Zhujia in Haicheng, have been designated as "China's Beautiful Leisure Villages." The "Anshan Qianshan Pear Blossom Festival," held for over 30 years, has become a hallmark spring event. The pear's origin village, Duizhuangshi, was featured in a 2025 national case study on rural revitalization, underscoring the fruit's role as a primary income source for farmers in the eastern mountainous areas.

Looking towards the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Anshan has designated the Nanguo pear as a key specialty industry, outlining a strategy centered on eight major projects. These projects cover standardized planting bases, quality improvement, deep processing, brand building, market expansion, and integrated agricultural-tourism development. The near-term focus is on four fronts: Firstly, developing a comprehensive implementation plan to guide the industry towards scaled, standardized, and industrialized production, aiming for a total industry chain value exceeding 3 billion yuan and benefiting 200,000 fruit farmers. Secondly, promoting deep processing by supporting new projects like the 12,000-ton fruit and vegetable processing facility in Datun Town, which will help extend the industry chain. Thirdly, leveraging the 2026 Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival, scheduled for September 23rd in Qianshan District, to host tasting events and create novel market and tourism experiences. Finally, enhancing logistics by deepening cooperation with SF Express to establish a dedicated cold-chain route for Anshan Nanguo pears during peak season, standardizing packaging to reduce logistics costs by over 15%, and ensuring premium products reach markets efficiently.

The agriculture bureau urges all growers and stakeholders to uphold quality by adhering to timely harvesting and natural ripening, ensuring the fruit's reputation remains strong. In response to questions about improving production efficiency, the Agriculture and Rural Development Center outlined a strategy focused on two core projects: quality enhancement and brand building. This involves promoting green cultivation techniques, including labor-saving cultivation, precision water and fertilizer management, and integrated pest management. Eight demonstration bases have been established, covering a core area of 1,500 mu and influencing over 8,000 mu, with practices shown to reduce labor input by 20%, increase water and fertilizer efficiency by 20%, lower chemical pesticide use by 10%, and increase yields by 5-10%. Technical training is being intensified through initiatives like "field classrooms" to educate leading farmers on integrated production techniques. Furthermore, efforts are underway to expand green food certification for fresh fruit and processed goods like wine, juice, and dried pears, alongside stronger promotion and management of geographical indication and other brand certifications to boost market presence and profitability.

Haicheng, known as China's top Nanguo pear county, manages 250,000 mu of orchards with an annual output of 250,000 tons and a value of nearly 1.5 billion yuan. This industry supports 60,000 fruit-growing households and over 100,000 people in related sectors. To enhance farmer incomes without engaging in price wars, Haicheng is focusing on several fronts. Technology is being used to improve fruit quality and command better prices, with the adoption of "three reforms and three reductions" and grading systems increasing the premium fruit rate by 17.9%. Microbial fertilizer technology is applied throughout the chain to improve flavor and nutrition. Sales channels are being expanded through partnerships with e-commerce and logistics platforms like Douyin, Alibaba, JD.com, and SF Express, utilizing live-streaming and community group buying. The county is also building collective brand strength by fostering 276 cooperatives and 347 family farms under a model that links leading enterprises, cooperatives, bases, and farmers, allowing growers to share in the brand's added value. In 2025, over 90% of farmers' income in the main production areas came from pears, contributing to a per capita disposable income of 28,674 yuan for rural residents. Cultural heritage is leveraged for differentiation, using events like the Pear Blossom Festival and Harvest Festival to transform orchards into tourist attractions and offer experiences of traditional Liaonan farming culture. Deep processing provides a safety net, with over ten enterprises producing items such as wine, preserved fruit, juice, and paste, generating over 60 million yuan in output. Innovative products like the gold-medal-winning "Nanguozui" brandy and new offerings like Nanguo pear zongzi and milk tea are emerging, with plans for future health products like fruit powder and essential oils.

Qianshan District is adopting a three-pronged approach to tackle industry pain points and drive quality upgrades. First, it is promoting efficient planting models through the "six pushes and six reforms" strategy, focusing on renovating low-yield orchards and encouraging harvesting based on fruit maturity. For example, the Qingcaogou Cooperative in Datun Town uses sugar meters to ensure pears have a sugar content of at least 14% before harvest, while the Xingwanghong Cooperative has achieved a premium fruit rate exceeding 40% and a 20% yield increase through staged harvesting. The district has also identified 11 villages, covering 84,600 mu and involving 6,354 households, as high-quality production areas in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Second, it is building comprehensive industrial chain projects. Following Datun Town's selection as a national agricultural industry stronghold, the Ruixing Lianfeng Nanguo pear full-industry-chain project is underway in Dongfangshen Village. This project will develop four key components—a deep-processing plant, a research and development center, a packaging factory, and cold-chain logistics—to create a complete loop from production to sales. With land acquisition completed and 7.5 million yuan invested, the project is expected to be fully operational by 2027, aiming to increase overall industry added value by 30% and improve the utilization of lower-grade fruit. Third, it is protecting Nanguo pear cultural heritage. A museum dedicated to this important agricultural heritage is being constructed around the ancestral tree garden in Duizhuangshi, showcasing the fruit's history, folklore, farming techniques, and traditional crafts. Through these combined efforts, Qianshan District is working to steer the Nanguo pear industry towards higher value-added, full-chain, and sustainable development.