On October 11, 2019, at the 12th China Shaanxi (Luochuan) International Apple Expo International Apple Industry Forum, Professor Cheng Lailiang from Cornell University gave a speech titled "What Can We Learn From The US Apple Industry? ）”The report.
Professor Cheng first introduced the current situation of the Apple industry in the United States. The apple planting area in the United States is about 2 million acres, with an annual apple yield of 4.5 to 5 million tons. 2/3 of the apples are used for fresh consumption, and 1/3 are used for processing. 3/4 of the apples are used for domestic sales and 1/4 for export.
The main production areas are Washington State (50-55%) and New York State (45-50%). Mainly located between 40-45 degrees north latitude (Washington state is located between 45-47 degrees north latitude). Washington state has a semi desert climate with an annual rainfall of 200-250mm, but the rainfall during the apple growing season is only 60-70mm, relying on snowmelt for irrigation. Summer is dry and hot, with a large temperature difference between day and night (the average lowest temperature in July is 13.8 ℃, and the highest temperature is 30.9 ℃). Winter low temperatures rarely cause frost damage (with an average minimum temperature of -6.7 ℃ and a maximum temperature of 1.6 ℃ in January). The average minimum temperature in New York State is -4.1 ℃ (January) and the maximum temperature is 21.5 ℃ (July). The annual rainfall is 1092mm, and the monthly rainfall is very average (60-90mm). There is a lot of snow in winter, with an average of 2.6m.
The main cultivated varieties are Gala, Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, and Pink Lady. More and more people are growing high-value varieties, such as Honeycrisp, which has saved the apple industry in the United States. Its price is twice that of ordinary varieties.
The foundation of modern apple production in the United States is the presence of dwarfing, early maturing, and well tolerant rootstocks, as well as a high spindle shaped production system (some parts of Washington state use a V/Y system to better utilize light). A 6-year-old Fuji can yield up to 10000 kilograms per mu.
Accurately pruning, thinning flowers and fruits, and managing fertilizer and water are very important. But labor is a significant issue, as more and more work is being done using machinery. The average orchard area in the United States is 500-800 acres (although there are also many around 2000 acres). Their employment rate is 40 hours/acre/year.
The Apple industry in the United States is moving towards vertical integration. Large enterprises have their own nurseries, orchards, packaging factories, cold storage facilities, and sales teams. Small businesses establish cooperatives to address packaging and sales issues.
From 2005 to 2015, the number of apples used in the production of apple cider in the United States increased tenfold. Apple cider manufacturing companies have also grown tenfold.
Temperature and Synthesis of Anthocyanins
The apple production areas in China are mainly located between 35-38 degrees north latitude (with very little production in areas around 40 degrees north latitude). The climate characteristics of these regions are hot and rainy summers, and the quality of fruits is affected by tree vitality, fruit coloring, and diseases. The low temperature and lack of snow cover in winter prevent apple production in some northern regions. Low latitude and high-altitude areas, as well as some northern regions, are expanding the production scale of apples.
Main issues:
-More than 90% of fruit trees are grafted onto rootstocks
-The problem of repeated cropping, especially in the Shandong region
-Low soil organic matter content and excessive use of chemical fertilizers (the amount of fertilizer used is based on experience rather than the needs of fruit trees)
-The labor cost is getting higher and higher (such as fruit thinning, bagging, etc.)
-Harvesting is based on the date rather than the maturity of the fruit, and there is insufficient emphasis on the post harvest cold chain
-Difficulty in entering the high-end market
strategy
-Targeting high-end and export markets
-Need rootstock with dwarfism, early maturity, and good tolerance
-Accurate management ensures stable production and high-quality fruit safety while minimizing environmental impact.
-Reduce labor costs through the use of machinery
-Supporting the development of large enterprises while also supporting the development of small enterprises
-Application of Cold Chain and Post harvest Management
-Develop varieties of climate change adaptation and production management systems
