On October 23, news from Ninglang Yi Autonomous County's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, indicated that the apple planting area in the county has reached 84,000 acres. This marks the harvesting season for "Sugar Heart Apples," which are being sold across the country, becoming a source of wealth for local ethnic groups. Located at the confluence of Sichuan and Yunnan in the central section of the Hengduan Mountains, near the Jinsha River, Ninglang County boasts rich tourism resources, including beautiful natural landscapes represented by Lugu Lake and Yaoshan, along with colorful customs such as the matriarchal culture of the Mosuo and the Bimo culture of the Yi. The average altitude in the area is 2,367.2 meters, with abundant sunlight and significant temperature variations between day and night, providing an excellent environment for apple cultivation.

Yang Zhengyin, head of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau in Ninglang County, stated that the history of apple cultivation in the area spans over 40 years, with the current planting area totaling 84,000 acres and involving 8,600 farming households. To enhance industry value, increase corporate efficiency, and boost farmer incomes, the county has taken the lead in Yunnan Province by establishing the "Technical Standards for Dwarf Intensive Cultivation of Highland Mountain Apples in Northwest Yunnan," forming a three-tier technical service system centered on "Science and Technology Task Forces + Enterprises + Farmers," which promotes the apple industry towards standardization, branding, and industrialization.

Harvesting of Ninglang apples generally begins in mid- to late October, lasting approximately one month. Due to their high sugar content, strong aroma, and high quality, these green, pollution-free apples are well-received in the market. "Our apples are crisp and sweet, and when cut open, you can see the crystal-clear sugar heart," said apple farmer Guo Wanhua from Ninglang, who manages a 30-acre orchard with an annual income of over 200,000 yuan. Another farmer, Li Shuangbu, mentioned that in the past, they focused solely on planting and lacked skills in scientific management and sales. With technological guidance, he is now seeing increased yields and improved quality, leading to substantial income growth through models like "Company + Base + Farmer" and "Party Organization + Cooperative + Farmer." He has even learned to conduct live-streaming sales, leading to a sweeter life thanks to apple cultivation.

To raise awareness of Ninglang apples, the county has hosted a series of apple season activities for three consecutive years during the harvest period, attracting numerous merchants and tourists to discuss cooperation, taste apples, enjoy beautiful scenery, and experience "a life known as Yunnan." The Vice Governor of Ninglang County, Yang Zhongcai, noted that in recent years, the county has been continuously promoting apple industry development through policy support, technological backing, and brand cultivation. They are actively introducing new techniques, such as dwarfing, intensive planting, drip irrigation for water conservation, and green pest control, revitalizing traditional orchards. Additionally, efforts are underway to develop deep processing and e-commerce for apples, creating a fast track from "orchard to table." Many leading enterprises in the county have started to establish cold chain storage, sorting, packaging, and deep processing projects. The next step is to further extend the industry chain, bringing apple wine and dried apple slices into production to enhance product added value and broaden the reach of Ninglang apples. Statistics show that in 2024, Ninglang County has an apple planting area of 69,100 acres with a production value of 294 million yuan; for 2025, the production value is expected to exceed 300 million yuan.