From sporadic planting in the 1980s to a now expansive orchard covering one million acres, Jingning apples have undergone a remarkable transformation over the past four decades, evolving from a "specialty product" to a "major industry." They have made their way to the Olympic dining tables and are exported to over 30 countries worldwide, contributing to the income growth under the motto "A Single Red Fruit Enriches Thousands of Families."

Rooted in a golden production area: Four decades cultivate the “Hermès of Apples” Jingning County is located in Pingliang City, Gansu Province, situated at 35° North latitude, known as the apple "golden production belt." High altitude, ample sunlight, significant temperature variations between day and night, and an unpolluted environment make it ideal for apple cultivation, recognized as the best growth area for apples on the Loess Plateau. Jingning apples are celebrated for their vibrant color, large size, smooth skin, fine and juicy flesh, moderate sweetness, crisp texture, strong firmness, long shelf life, and durability during storage and transportation. According to authoritative testing, six physicochemical indicators of Jingning apples, including fruit firmness, soluble solids, total sugars, titratable acids, sugar-acid ratio, and vitamin C, have met or exceeded domestic quality apple standards, earning it the title of the "Hermès of Apples."

In collaboration with research institutions like Northwest A&F University and Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jingning County has deepened its "institutional and regional cooperation," formulating and promoting production techniques, environmental standards, and product quality standards for Jingning apples. Techniques such as early fruiting and high yield for young trees, tree shape improvement, black film coverage, water-saving irrigation, green pest control, and manual pollination have been adopted, with standardized orchard management areas reaching 800,000 acres, significantly enhancing the overall level of the apple industry. Moreover, relying on the Jingning Apple Academic-Industry Research Alliance, a 2000-acre apple seedling base has been established, successfully cultivating new high-quality varieties like "Chengji No. 1" and "Jingning No. 1," which are suited to local ecological conditions and have independent intellectual property rights. Varieties such as Ruixue, Qincrisp, Hongjiangjun, and Venus Gold have also been promoted, continuously optimizing the apple variety structure. In 2024, the county's total fruit production reached 1.216 million tons, generating a value of 7.5 billion yuan.

The road to brand recognition: From geographical symbols to international acknowledgment Jingning apples have accumulated nine national-level recognitions and 21 industry awards. Since 2006, they have been designated as "the exclusive fruit for the Beijing Olympics" and recognized as a well-known trademark in China, leading to national geographical indication product protection and becoming Jingning County’s first nationally recognized regional public brand for agricultural products. They were also successfully included in the "Mutual Recognition and Protection List of Geographical Indications between China and the EU," and completed international trademark registration in Madrid. In 2023, Jingning apples reached Antarctica aboard the "Xuelong 2" polar research vessel, becoming the first apple brand from China to "land" in Antarctica.

With their premium quality and unique regional characteristics, Jingning apples have gained fame both domestically and internationally, standing out as a shining emblem of local modern agricultural development, significantly boosting farmers' incomes. The average pure income from fruit for farmers in Jingning County exceeds 12,000 yuan, with apple exports reaching 255 million yuan, placing scale, production, and value among the top in Gansu Province. The brand value of "Jingning Apples" has soared to 18.086 billion yuan, leading the national fruit industry.

Global expansion: From a northwest county to markets in over 30 countries In the 2024 production season, 15 tons of Jingning apples successfully entered the U.S. market, achieving a "zero breakthrough" in high-end markets in Europe and America. At the beginning of 2025, a batch of apples labeled "Jingning No. 1" and "Chengji No. 1" were shipped to Thailand, entering the high-end supermarket TOPS, marking a sweet entry of the Loess Plateau apples into broader international markets. Jingning County is actively building a diversified sales system that covers domestic and expands internationally. Domestically, major sales zones have been established such as Chengdu-Chongqing, Southwest, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau, the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei. Jingning Apple Exhibition City and several fruit specialty markets have been developed alongside hundreds of county-level specialized fruit markets and sales distribution centers. Direct sales stores and specialized counters in supermarkets have been set up across the nation, while e-commerce sales enterprises are being vigorously cultivated.

Internationally, Jingning apples and processing products are exported to over 30 countries and regions, including Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Russia. Eleven overseas warehouses and sales counters have been established in countries such as Nepal and Singapore, with Southeast Asia becoming the largest overseas market.

Full-chain value addition: A single apple’s “seventy-two transformations” “5,000 tons of fresh fruit can be processed into 2,100 tons of products, generating around 40 million yuan in value,” said Wang Zhanjia, head of Gansu Jingning Longyuan Red Processing Factory. Fresh apples undergo washing, sorting, and pitting before entering drying machines and brewing lines, transforming into three major series of 12 products including apple crisps, apple dried fruit, and apple juice.

Jingning County is committed to extending the new chain, enhancing the apple industry for high-quality development. Through selective support, project-driven initiatives, and attracting investment, it has established 161 leading enterprises in storage, marketing, packaging, and processing. The county’s fruit storage capacity has reached 650,000 tons, processing capacity 150,000 tons, and box production capacity 330 million square meters. Furthermore, by deeply exploring apple culture, efforts are being made to promote the fusion of the apple industry and cultural tourism. Activities such as apple picking festivals, flower appreciation festivals, and cultural festivals have been held in towns like Yuwan and Leida, drawing over 50 artists to create apple-themed literature, calligraphy, painting, and photography, welcoming more than 20,000 visitors and achieving interconnected industrial development.

Currently, Jingning apples have formed a complete industry chain system from fruit bag production, carton manufacturing, foam net processing, to cold chain logistics and e-commerce marketing, becoming a cornerstone of the local economy with the average income from fruit accounting for over 70%. Looking ahead, Jingning County will align with Pingliang City's development positioning of "三區一城市" (Three Zones and One City), focusing on stabilizing area, increasing yield, enhancing income, improving quality, upgrading standards, and pursuing growth in both quality and efficiency. By aiming for the direction of modern fruit industry development and adhering to a full industrial chain development model, it will continue to promote excellence in variety, improvement in quality, brand enhancement, and standardized production, to drive the high-quality development of the "Jingning Apple" industry and further strengthen the competitiveness and comprehensive benefits of the industry.