New Apple Varieties Ruiyang and Ruixue Unveiled at Promotion Event, Baishui Apples Reach New Heights
At the Shaanxi·Baishui apple industry promotion event, China's new apple varieties with independent intellectual property rights——“Ruiyang” and “Ruixue” were officially released. This marks the return of Baishui apples to the Great Hall of the People after 26 years. In October 1992, Baishui County held a press conference at the Great Hall of the People, pioneering the nation's first agricultural product promotion.
It is understood that “Ruiyang” is a red late-maturing variety, bred by crossing “Qinguan” and “Fuji” as parents, combining many excellent traits of the two major varieties: high yield, easy to manage, large and well-formed fruit, smooth fruit surface, unique aroma, excellent quality, storage-resistant, and sugar content of over 16%. “Ruixue” is a yellow late-maturing variety, bred by crossing “Qinfu No. 1” and “Pink Lady” as parents. Its fruit is large, well-formed, with firm and crisp flesh, excellent quality, high yield, and storage-resistant. Currently, these two varieties have obtained 3 authorized patents, filed 3 patent applications, and hold independent intellectual property rights.
Experts believe that “Ruixue” and “Ruiyang” surpass Red Fuji in early fruiting, high yield, and economic performance, with quality approaching Red Fuji. They have broad development prospects in the Weibei and northern Shaanxi regions of Shaanxi and similar ecological zones, and are expected to become the main planting varieties with the greatest potential for apple upgrading in the Loess Plateau production area. Currently, “Ruiyang” and “Ruixue” have been planted on over 20,000 mu in Baishui, Shaanxi, with a yield of 3,000 to 4,000 kg per mu, generating income of over 10,000 yuan per mu for farmers.
Baishui County is located in the northeastern part of Shaanxi Province, in the transitional zone between the Guanzhong Plain and the Loess Plateau. It is internationally recognized as the world's best optimal apple-growing region. It has received over 80 honors, including “Hometown of Chinese Apples”, “National Green Food Raw Material (Apple) Standardized Production Base”, “China's First County for Organic Apples”, “National Export Apple Quality and Safety Demonstration County”, and top ten in the “China Fruit Regional Public Brand Value List”. The “Baishui Apple” brand is valued at 4.846 billion yuan, ranking among the top agricultural product brands nationwide.
Baishui has a total apple growing area of 550,000 mu, with an average annual output of 550,000 tons and an output value of over 3.6 billion yuan. Apple series products are exported to multiple countries and regions in Southeast Asia, the EU, and South America. Baishui County sells and processes 2 million tons of apples annually. Products such as apple juice, apple wine, apple vinegar, and dried apples have begun to capture the domestic high-end market, forming a Shaanxi modern fruit industry trading and distribution center and price formation center integrating research, packaging, processing, storage, and logistics.