LANZHOU, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- At an agricultural company in northwest China's Gansu Province, workers are diligently sorting and packing plump, rosy-red apples into boxes. After customs inspection, these sweet, fragrant fruits will be transported to Thailand via Qingdao Port on China's east coast.

The approaching Spring Festival is the peak season for apple exports, according to Kang Yanwen, manager of foreign trade at Gansu Nature Farm Agriculture Co., Ltd. "The orders continue to pour in and we are shipping out every day. We don't even have enough transport vehicles," she said.

With abundant sunlight and significant temperature differences between day and night, Gansu has long been known for producing excellent apples. In recent years, an increasing number of apple growers here have sought to expand their apple sales to overseas markets.

Data from Lanzhou Customs showed that in 2023, the export value of fresh apples from Gansu reached approximately 550 million yuan (about 77.40 million U.S. dollars), representing a year-on-year increase of 21.7 percent.

Kang lives in Li County in Longnan City, a prominent apple production hub renowned in Gansu as well as across China. "My family has been involved in the apple business for generations," said Kang, adding that her father, Kang Yongliang, has always dreamed of exporting their apples.

In 2017, Kang Yongliang hired a foreign trade team to try exporting apples. However, due to various factors, the business plan didn't succeed.

In 2018, shortly after graduating from university, Kang Yanwen decided to fulfill her father's dream. She first took up a job at a foreign trade company in Shandong Province, where she started learning about foreign trade from scratch. Before long, she resigned and set up a team to manage apple exports from her hometown.

Kang Yanwen's first deal came from Dubai. Even though it was a modest order, valued at 400,000 yuan, she maintained effective communication with her client, ensured quality products and gained their trust. As a result, this Dubai distributor became a long-term partner and even introduced her to other prospective clients, helping her expand locally.

With her growing reputation and experience, Kang has forged market relations with Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and many other countries. The export value of apples from her company has increased from 2 million yuan in 2018 to 34 million yuan in 2023.

Last year, the company invested over 14 million yuan to establish an intelligent crisp production line, planning to promote apple crisps overseas in 2024.

For the new year, Kang Yanwen is filled with hope. She wants to see more international customers enjoy high-quality Chinese apples.

Other agricultural companies in Li County are similarly buzzing with activities these days. Zhao Xiaoming, a 51-year-old salesperson at Lixian Richshine Fruits & Vegetables Co., Ltd., has been putting in long hours, working from 7 a.m. to around 6 p.m. every day. He said that the company must dispatch at least one truckload containing 1,186 boxes of apples each day, requiring a minimum of 40 workers on site.

"We've been growing apples for generations, and we're deeply attached to them. It's like a dream come true seeing our apples go worldwide," Zhao said. "Now, all the apples from my family's orchard are sold abroad through company orders."

He noted that he has gradually become familiar with the preferences of the international market. "Thai people like big, red apples, while Bangladeshis prefer smaller ones. Our apples are in high demand in overseas markets."

According to the company's general manager, Zhao Liang, the past two years have seen encouraging growth in overseas sales of high-quality Chinese apples, indicating increasing recognition among overseas consumers. In 2023, the overall sales volume of his company increased by around 20 percent compared to 2022, and the number of customers has been growing at an average annual rate of 10 percent.

According to Zhou Dingtang, deputy Party secretary of Li County, the apple industry has become a pillar industry, driving local economic development and boosting the incomes of the locals. The total area of orchards in the county is 605,200 mu (about 40,346.67 hectares), yielding a total apple production of 516,000 tonnes and a total output value of 2.28 billion yuan in 2023.

He noted that efforts will be made in the future to expand the overseas market for apples from Li County to augment the global presence. Enditem

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