While Southeast Asians savor the exotic flavors of Thai durians, Filipino bananas, and Vietnamese passion fruits, a new star is rising in the fruit world! 🌟 Say hello to the Chinese crabapple, a tiny but mighty fruit from the deserts of Inner Mongolia that's making a juicy splash across Southeast Asia. 🍎✨
In the heart of the Horqin Sandy Land—one of China's largest sandy areas—freshly picked crabapples are loaded onto cold-chain trucks, embarking on a 10-day journey to the bustling markets of Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. 🚚🌏
Teng Dayong, a proud fruit farmer from Horqin Left Wing Middle Banner, tends to his 190-mu (about 12.67 hectares) crabapple orchard with passion. This year, his trees are yielding a whopping 2,000 kilograms per mu! That's a whole lot of crunch and sweetness packed into these little red gems. 😋
\"Nearly half of my orchard's fruit is heading straight to Southeast Asia,\" Teng beams. \"It's amazing to see our desert fruit becoming a favorite abroad!\"
But how did this desert fruit become such a hit? Back in the day, locals planted poplar trees to fight off the encroaching sands, but they weren’t exactly eco-friendly or profitable. Enter the crabapple—a drought-tolerant, cold-resistant, and nutritious fruit developed by the forestry and grassland academy in Tongliao. It's the perfect combo of ecological warrior and economic boon! 🌳💪
Now, with over 350,000 mu of crabapple trees, Tongliao produces more than 100,000 tonnes of crabapples annually, raking in nearly 500 million yuan. Talk about a fruitful investment! 💰🍏
Teng even teamed up with Zeny Yong, a Malaysian Chinese entrepreneur, to set up a fruit packing and export company. Friendship goals, right? 🤝 Together, they're sharing the deliciousness of Inner Mongolia's crabapples with the world.
Kailu County isn't far behind, exporting over 100 tonnes of crabapples each year to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates. They've even built a massive cold storage facility that keeps the crabapples fresh until April and May, ensuring year-round availability. 🏭❄️
So next time you're strolling through a market in Kuala Lumpur or Manila, keep an eye out for these delightful desert fruits. You might just discover your new favorite snack! 😉✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
