Analysis of apple producing area changes in China

Abstract: 【Objective】This paper aims to explore the temporal and spatial changes of China’s apple production and the reasons for the changes.【Methods】Using the national apple production data from 1978 to 2018, the changes in apple cultivation area, apple yield, production concentration, production area concentration coefficient, and scale advantage index, as well as apple cultivation areas and produc-tion changes in apple production areas and various apple production provinces (municipalities and au-tonomous regions) were analyzed. The main factors, such as total production cost, production cost and land cost, which may result in the changes in the production area, were also analyzed.【Results】After 40 years of development, China’s apple cultivation area and yield rank first in the world. In 2018, the cultivated area and yield of apples reached 1 938 600 hectares and 39 233 400 tons, which were 2.86 times and 17.24 times more than those in 1978, respectively. From 1978 to 2018, China’s apple produc-tion experienced a change of stable development, rapid development, rapid decline, and slow growth pe-riods. In 2018, there were 7 provinces with a production concentration of more than 5% , including Shaanxi, Shandong, Henan, Shanxi, Gansu, Liaoning and Hebei provinces. The apple production con-centration of Shaanxi and Shandong provinces were 25.71% and 24.27%, respectively. From 1978 to 2018, the apple production concentration coefficient showed a fluctuating trend. In 1990, the apple pro- duction concentration coefficient reached the lowest level in history, being 0.65 in 2018. From 1978 to 2018, the apple production scale of Liaoning, Shandong and Shaanxi provinces were significantly high-er than the national average level, but the scale advantage index of Liaoning and Shandong provinces decreased year by year, while the index of Shaanxi province increased year by year. The scale of apple production in Beijing, Shanxi, Gansu and Ningxia in 2008 and 2018 was also significantly higher than the national average level. In addition, with the development of the apple production, the scale advan-tage index in Gansu, Shanxi, Ningxia and Xinjiang increased year by year. In 1978, the apple cultiva-tion area and yield of Shaanxi province accounted for 7.88% and 4.36% of the national apple cultiva-tion area and yield, respectively, and the cultivation area ranked 5th in the country. After 40 years of de-velopment, Shaanxi province has become the largest apple production area in China. In 2018, apple cul-tivation area and yield accounted for 30.83% and 25.71% of the national apple cultivation area and yield, respectively. The apple cultivation area in Shandong ranked once first in the country from 1978 to 2001, but in 2002, Shandong’s apple cultivation area was surpassed by Shaanxi and it had to become the second largest apple cultivation province in China. In 2009, Shandong’s apple yield was surpassed by Shaanxi and became the second largest producer in China. The area of apple cultivation in the pro-duction areas around Bohai Bay increased first and then decreased, while the area of apple cultivation in the production areas of the Loess Plateau showed a fluctuating growth trend. In 2002, the apple culti-vation area of the Loess Plateau apple production area surpassed the Bohai Bay production area, becom-ing the largest apple production area in China. Southwest apple production areas, especially for Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, have developed rapidly. The cultivation area and output of apples in the south-west production area in 2018 were 3.1 times and 25.2 times more than those in 1978, respectively. Since the reform and opening to the outside world, the cultivation area and yield of apples in Northwest pro-duction areas have developed rapidly. In 2018, the cultivation area and yield of apples were 6.18 times and 34.78 times more than those in 1978, respectively. Among them, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has the fastest development of apples. In 2018, the area and yield of apple cultivation in Xinjiang were 6.34 times and 40.21 times more than those in 1978, respectively. The southwest cold highland ap-ple production area and Xinjiang characteristic apple production area have been formed. The production cost is a key factor affecting the changes in apple spatial distribution. The total production cost, produc-tion cost and land cost of apples in the Bohai Bay apple production area represented by Shandong prov-ince are always higher than the national average level. However, the total production cost, production cost and land cost of apples in the apple producing areas of the Loess Plateau represented by Shaanxi are lower than the national average level. In addition, climate changes like precipitation and tempera-ture, as well as national and local policies, would affect the development of apple production.【Conclu-sion】The results show that the area of the Bohai Bay apple cultivation area is decreasing year by year,the area of the Loess Plateau is increasing, and the apple production area is moving westward and ex-panding northward. The development of apples in the northwest and southwest has gradually formed the characteristic apple producing areas. Economic and climatic factors as well as local policies will ab-solutely affect the spatial distribution of apple production in China.