The first China Shandong International Apple Festival opened in Yantai, Shandong province on Oct 27.

The festival, which will run until Oct 29, features a series of activities showcasing China's booming apple industry. A total of 19 projects focusing on cooperation in the apple industry were signed at the opening ceremony.

An exhibition covering an area of nearly 20,000 square meters is currently being held, attended by 24 delegations from China's major apple production areas and high-quality fruit-growing regions.

In addition to Shandong, 10 other provinces also participated in the exhibition, including Jiangsu, Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Jilin.

Eight major apple production areas in Yantai were also highlighted at the event and showcased the city's booming apple industry.

The coastal city of Yantai has a flourishing apple industry. As of 2019, its total apple planting area was 2.83 million mu (1,886.67 square kilometers), and its total output was 5.59 million tons, both ranking first among prefecture-level cities in China.

The brand value of Yantai apples has exceeded 14.5 billion yuan ($2.16 billion), ranking first among China's fruit brands for the past 12 years. Yantai apple has exported to more than 30 countries and regions across the world.