An Overview of China's Apple Industry Development in 2024

China Apple Industry Association; National Apple Industry Technology System

doi:10.19590/j.cnki.1008-1038.2026.06.001

Abstract：Based on multi-source data from the National Bureau of Statistics and the National Apple Industry Technology System,this study adopted a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis to comprehensively examine China's apple industry in 2024 from the perspectives of production,trade,market,science and technology,standards,and policies.It systematically reviewed the development status,operational characteristics,technological progress,and challenges of China's apple industry in 2024,providing scientific basis for industrial policy formulation,corporate strategic planning,and production and operation decisions.The findings indicated that the industry was characterized by"stable production with optimized and resilient performance under pressure".The layout of the apple industry continued to improve,with steadily declining planting areas in the Loess Plateau and Bohai Bay Rim dominant regions,while characteristic production areas grew steadily.In terms of international trade,exports of fresh apples and concentrated apple juice grew significantly,enhancing global market competitiveness.However,deep-seated contradictions remain prominent,including severe cultivar homogenization,structural labor shortages,frequent natural disasters,and the"five imbalances and four aging statuses"that constrain high-quality development.At the same time,significant scientific and technological breakthroughs had been achieved,forming new productive forces in stress-resistance gene mining,dwarf and dense planting,and intelligent sorting,and so on.These research outcomes hold important theoretical and practical value for promoting the transformation of the apple industry toward large-scale,intelligent,and brand-oriented development,and for supporting rural revitalization and the building of an agricultural powerhouse.