From exporting to Thailand in 2025 and entering Central Asian markets to breaking into Australia's high-end market in 2026, Dangshan pear's export footprint continues to expand. Through quality enhancement, supply chain improvements, and institutional innovation, Dangshan County has steadily elevated this local fruit to international premium status, charting a path of modern agricultural development driven by reform and opening-up.

The key to Dangshan pear's successful entry into global markets lies in its superior quality.

Walking along the old course of the Yellow River, the contiguous pear orchards in Dangshan Orchard Farm are in full bloom, with old trees displaying sturdy branches and well-shaped forms—a testament to their decades of growth. "These pear trees were planted in 1955 when the farm was first established. They're the pride of our farm—the shape and vitality cultivated over decades are truly irreplaceable," said Lyu Qingqiang, General Manager of Dangshan Orchard Farm Co., Ltd., under Anhui State Farms Group, as he gently touched the rugged bark with genuine affection.

Standardized planting sets the rules. The orchard farm has formulated the "Dangshan Pear Planting Technical Standards", providing clear guidelines for pruning, fertilization, plant protection, and harvesting—moving beyond the crude approach of relying solely on experience and intuition, thus ensuring quality from the source.

Green farming upholds safety standards. The orchard strictly implements reductions in both chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increases the use of organic fertilizers, promotes biological and physical pest control, and plants green manure crops such as hairy vetch that are tilled back into the soil to improve fertility. These green measures have resulted in pesticide residue levels in exported pears that are well below international standards, successfully passing multiple rounds of testing by third-party inspectors from developed countries.

Digital empowerment enhances precision. Among the nearly 10,000 mu of standardized orchards at Dangshan Orchard Farm, 1,000 mu have been developed into smart pear orchards. By scanning a QR code, the complete process of each pear—from blooming and pollination to fertilization and harvesting—can be viewed at a glance.

The quality upgrade has ultimately earned international recognition. Pears exported to Australia have met all required standards in terms of sugar content, crispness, and storage durability.

Quality improvement is an ongoing process. To address challenges such as insufficient mechanization and uneven fruit quality, the orchard farm has deepened reforms to break through bottlenecks. Lyu Qingqiang explained that the farm has introduced a unified management pilot program, taking back orchards previously contracted to individual households and achieving "five unifications"—unified production, fertilization, pest control, techniques, and sales—thereby resolving past issues of inconsistent standards and loose management. This year, the 100-mu pilot program has been implemented, integrating refined management with integrated water and fertilizer application. The farm plans to expand the pilot next year. At the same time, it is exploring the use of aerial pest control technology to address the challenges faced by ordinary farmers, such as a lack of large machinery and low manual spraying efficiency. "Once aerial application succeeds, it will not only reduce planting costs by 30 to 40 percent but also elevate the overall cultivation of over 400,000 mu of pear trees across the county to a new level," Lyu said.

Deeper opening-up means fully aligning with international standards. By benchmarking against inspection standards in markets such as Australia, Dangshan continues to refine the quality indicators of its pears.

From the old course of the Yellow River to tables around the world, the journey of Dangshan pear going global represents not only the transformation of a single fruit but also a vivid microcosm of how traditional Chinese agriculture is breaking new ground through reform and reaching far and wide through opening-up.

Lyu Qingqiang revealed that in May or June of this year, Dangshan nectarines are also expected to be exported to Australia, opening a new chapter in the global expansion of specialty agricultural products.

Source: Anhui Daily