The nationwide cold spell during the Qingming Festival [April 4th until 20th] is already a month ago, but the influence of this record cold snap is still affecting apple production areas in Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Shandong. It also affected almost all fruit production areas in the north. The damage was most severe for apple trees. The damage was also relatively severe for walnut, cherry, and wild pepper. Peach, Yali pear, apricot, and potatoes, as well as Chinese cabbage, were also affected to various degrees.
Severe frost leads to decreased fruit production volume
Several companies and internet forums estimated that the overall apple production will shrink with a volume of 10-15 million tons, which is a decrease of 20%-40%. Since the frost struck during the Qingming Festival, when most fruit trees are in their flowering period, the cold mostly affected flowers and young fruit. In other words, the real damage will be felt when the fruit matures. The production volume will be much smaller this year.
Source: Fruit Service Center