Changwu apple industry in Shaanxi becomes the golden key to prosperity for the whole county

In September in Changwu, golden fruit fragrance fills the air. In the provincial-level demonstration orchard in Anli Village, Dizhang Township, fruit grower Chen Yongcheng is busy applying Junduqing to the tree trunks. Looking at the scene of abundant harvest before his eyes, he is full of confidence. Last year, his orchard, through major reshaping, application of organic fertilizer, hanging insect-attracting lamps, and planting clover, produced 32,000 jin of apples from 4.6 mu, generating an income of 47,000 yuan; this year the output is expected to reach 30,000 jin. There are 21 such provincial- and municipal-level demonstration orchards in the county. At present, the county's apple area has grown to 215,000 mu, achieving an output value of 310 million yuan, with per capita fruit industry income for farmers of 1,453 yuan. The apple industry has become the pillar industry driving agricultural efficiency and farmer income growth in the county.

  Promoting four technologies to improve fruit quality. The county gives full play to its natural advantages of high altitude, abundant sunlight, deep soil layers, and low environmental pollution, vigorously develops apple production, and continuously increases the promotion of standardized techniques. Through the application of organic fertilizer, apple rot disease and early defoliation disease have been effectively controlled. At present, the county has completed major reshaping on 120,000 mu, strong branch bending on 150,000 mu, appropriate fertilization on 215,000 mu, and fruit bagging of 1.5 billion bags; it has built 50,000 mu of pollution-free fruit base and 100,000 mu of green fruit base, with the county's premium fruit rate reaching over 70%. At the same time, the county actively implements a famous-brand strategy and has registered the "Chungu Red" brand, effectively promoting the healthy development of the apple industry. Changwu apples, which are large, brightly colored, crisp and fine-textured, sweet and fragrant, pollution-free, and resistant to storage and transport, have won more than 50 awards at national, provincial, and municipal levels, and are hailed as "the most fragrant apples in the world." They are currently selling well in more than 20 provinces and cities across China and in the Hong Kong, China and Macao, China markets, and are exported to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Russia, and other countries and regions.

  Innovating production techniques and strengthening demonstration orchard construction. "Years of hail have caused us fruit growers heavy losses. Since the county installed hail nets in our orchards, this year's apples are sure to fetch a good price!" Chen Fuqiang, a fruit grower in Shilipu Village, Dingjia Town, suffered an economic loss of 12,000 yuan last year from hail damage to his 3-mu orchard. This year, the county installed hail nets free of charge on a trial basis for his family, and the output value is expected to reach 18,000 yuan. In demonstration orchard construction, the county adopts the method of county and township leaders and departments contracting villages and orchards, implements the three in-place requirements of organizational structure, technical force, and work measures, and advances demonstration orchard construction by widely applying the four technologies in demonstration orchards, experimentally demonstrating and promoting hail nets, hanging insect-attracting boards, orchard grass-growing, and other techniques. Starting in 2007, the county has directed all agriculture-related project funds toward demonstration orchards. For each county-level demonstration orchard completed, the county finance department rewards the fruit growers of the demonstration orchard and the contracting township at the standard of 20 yuan per mu and 1,000 yuan per demonstration orchard. At present, the county has built 300 demonstration orchards at all levels, including 21 provincial- and municipal-level demonstration orchards, and the premium fruit rate of the demonstration orchards has all reached over 70%.

  Strengthening technical training and improving the quality of fruit growers. Ju Yucai is a well-known "local expert" in Jujia Town. He meticulously studies fruit tree cultivation techniques; there is almost no rot disease in his own orchard, his fruit trees have no alternate bearing, and last year his 1.8-mu orchard sold for 34,000 yuan. Under his influence and guidance, the management techniques of nearby fruit growers have generally improved, and their fruit can all fetch good prices. In recent years, the county has treated training fruit growers as an important task for raising the overall level of the apple industry. The county fruit industry bureau prints and illustrates orchard management techniques into books and charts and distributes them to fruit growers, regularly organizes technicians to go deep into orchards for on-site training, and invites provincial and municipal fruit industry experts to provide on-site technical guidance. At the same time, the county television station has launched the "Fruit Industry World" special column, which is regularly broadcast every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The county fruit industry bureau, in conjunction with the "hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands" rural outreach activity, delivers technology, information, and pesticides to the fields. In recent years, the county has trained more than 30,000 fruit growers annually, and a rural backbone technical team composed of more than 60 fruit industry professional technicians, more than 2,000 farmer technicians, and 2,500 fruit industry science and technology demonstration households has become the main force in the county's fruit industry production and development.