Qixia, a major apple-producing region in east China, is embracing a digital transformation expected to bring about higher overall benefits as its apple harvest season begins this year.
As the "apple capital of China," the county-level city in Shandong Province has more than 130 years of history of apple cultivation, with an area of over 60,000 hectares of apple planting and an annual output of more than 2 million tons.
But now, traditional farming methods are being merged with intelligent digital farming technologies.
Growers at an apple orchard are picking the ripe apples with a "personal farming assistant" in pocket providing tailored growing advice.
"Through this large screen, we can clearly see the growth of the apple trees and the platform will inform the farmers about the apple tree's growth status for precise picking," said Li Guoyong, head of a local supply and marketing cooperatives.
The transformation is visible at the local cooperatives' control center, where wall-mounted screens display real-time data from thousands of trees.
And the system goes beyond simple monitoring. Farmers receive precise picking schedules, automated irrigation controls, and customized fertilizer recommendations based on soil testing.
"On the smart platform, we can get a tailored planting program for ourselves so that we can save time and effort to avoid detours. The result is very positive," said Cheng Xianshi, an apple grower.
Qixia apples are seeking new breakthroughs in industrial transformation and upgrade by promoting on e-commerce platforms and improving cold chain and logistics services.
All orchards spanning 2,667 hectares in Qixia have been equipped with digital management devices so far, with the overall efficiency from apples preliminarily estimated to increase by eight percent.
China's apple embraces digital transformation amid harvest season
