Basic Introduction to Lingbao Apples
Lingbao is the birthplace of the optimal apple cultivation zone in Asia and the advantageous apple industry belt in the Northwest Loess Plateau, ranking first among county-level cities in national apple industry brand value for three consecutive years. Lingbao apples are known for their bright color, crisp and sweet taste, rich nutrition, and durability during storage and transportation. They have been certified by a panel of experts from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine as a local specialty with “Place of Origin Mark Registration.”
Nutritional Value
Lingbao apples are deliciously sweet and sour, rich in nutrients, and one of the best fruits for infants, the elderly, and patients. Lingbao apples are abundant in various vitamins, minerals, sugars, and fats, which are essential nutrients for brain development. The fiber in Lingbao apples promotes growth and development in children. The zinc content enhances children's memory. Regular consumption of Lingbao apples can also aid in weight loss and digestion. Expectant mothers who eat an apple daily can alleviate pregnancy symptoms. For those under high stress, smelling apples can relieve tension, depression, and other negative emotions, while also having a refreshing effect. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that apples can quench thirst, moisten the lungs, eliminate irritability, strengthen the spleen and stomach, nourish the heart and qi, soften the intestines, stop diarrhea, relieve heat, and sober up. They also help prevent cancer and lead poisoning.
Reasons to Eat Apples Daily:
1. An ordinary apple's
Product Features
Statistics from 1990 showed that there were as many as 114 cultivated varieties in Lingbao city, with promising development prospects and already substantial scale, including Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Red Star, Huaguan, Qinwang, Melba, Jonagold, Gravenstein, among others. Varieties such as Fuji, Red Star, Golden Delicious, Red Banana, and Gravenstein have consistently taken the top spot at national evaluation conferences over the years.
Gala (available: July): Elegant color, crisp and sweet!
Golden Delicious (available: August): Golden color, rich aroma!
Red Star (available: September): Large and firm, bright color!
Huaguan (available: October): Bright red and round, crispy and sweet!
Qinwang (available: October to May): Large and solid, sweet and durable!
Fuji (available: October to May): Crispy and tart, unique flavor!
History and Folklore
The history of cultivating Lingbao apples is recorded in Qing dynasty county annals. In 1932, the Wenshang County Annals noted: ‘Apples, not many.' In 1923, Lingbao entrepreneur Li Gongsheng purchased Western new variety apple saplings from Yantai and Qingdao, investing his entire fortune and through arduous efforts, finally achieved success. By the 1930s, the county had nearly 3,000 acres of apple orchards, producing over 200,000 catties annually. Varieties included Wo Jin, Gravenstein, and Summer Peel. The city's orchards totaled only 300 acres, producing around 100 tons per year. It wasn't until after the founding of the People's Republic that significant progress was made. In 1956, Lingbao County established a 300-acre state-owned horticultural farm on Mount Sihedao, 1,300 meters above sea level, known as “Asia's First High Mountain Orchard.” In 1992, the total apple production reached 150,000 tons, sold across more than 20 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. Lingbao apples were not only popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan but also in the CIS, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asian countries. After the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, apple production became the “leader” of Lingbao's economic development, expanding to 100,000 acres. In 1998, Lingbao apples were awarded the title of “China's Famous Fruit” by the China Fruit Association; in early 2002, the State-Owned Lingbao Horticultural Farm introduced the latest research results of SOD technology from China Agricultural University and the calcium-rich, zinc-rich multi-nutrient apple patent from the Shanxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, achieving remarkable success. After these products entered the market, the price of a single fruit broke the 10 yuan mark; in August 2002, 300,000 acres of Lingbao apples passed national inspection, obtaining the mark of non-polluted agricultural products. Following this, the city adhered to the development strategy of “stabilizing area, focusing on quality, enhancing brand reputation, and increasing benefits,” vigorously promoting standardized, commercialized, and pollution-free production to build the “Lingbao Apple” brand, with the economic benefits of apples becoming increasingly prominent.
Awards and Honors for Lingbao Apples
Lingbao has been consecutively recognized for its rapid development in the apple industry, being designated as a demonstration zone for the safety of exported apples and apple juice, a base for high-quality apple products, a demonstration base for non-polluted apple production, and an advantageous apple industry belt. It has received titles such as “One of China's Top Ten Strongholds for High-Quality Fruit,” “One of China's Top Ten Strongholds for High-Quality Apples,” and “One of China's Top Ten Strongholds for Fruit and Vegetable Processing.”
October 1985 Former General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Hu Yaobang highly praised Lingbao apples during his inspection tour of Lingbao, inscribing “Develop apples and jujubes, and every household will live a prosperous life.”
April 1989 At the national apple appraisal conference involving 11 provinces and municipalities, Lingbao Fuji apples ranked first among similar products.
1998 Lingbao apples were awarded the title of “China's Famous Fruit” by the China Fruit Association;
August 2002 300,000 acres of Lingbao apples passed national inspection, obtaining the mark of non-polluted agricultural products.
July 2003 Lingbao apples obtained the “Place of Origin Mark Registration Certificate” from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine;
January 2004 “Lingbao” brand apples won the title of “Famous Product of Henan Province”;
2005 Lingbao apples successfully joined Orijin, the world's most influential geographic indication organization;
2006 Lingbao apples won the title of “China's Famous Agricultural Products”;
2009 Lingbao apples successively won the titles of “Ten Most Influential Geographic Indication Products in Henan Province” and “China's Top Ten Famous and High-Quality Apples”;
2010 Lingbao apples won the “Gold Award Product of the Eighth China International Agricultural Products Fair” and the title of “Top 100 Brands of China's Agricultural Products Regional Public Brands,” with a brand value of 4.11 billion yuan, ranking first among agricultural product brands in the province, 11th nationally.
2011 According to the assessment report of China's agricultural product regional public brand value, the brand value of “Lingbao apples” increased again, reaching 4.327 billion yuan.
2012 Lingbao apples obtained the first batch of national eco-origin protection product status.
2012 At the first China Forest Food Trade Expo, Lingbao SOD apples won a national gold award.
2012 According to the assessment of China's agricultural product regional public brand value, the brand value of “Lingbao apples” reached 4.411 billion yuan, ranking 14th among China's agricultural product regional public brands and first among county-level city apple categories. The next highest were Luochuan apples in Shaanxi and Qixia apples in Shandong.
2013 At the Asian Brand Association and China's annual brand awards ceremony held in Beijing, Lingbao apples were awarded the title of “China's Eco-Origin Famous Brand” after review by the (ABAS) expert system committee.