XI'AN, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Shaanxi Province saw an output of about 10.09 million tonnes of apples last year, local authorities said.

(Photo: VCG）

The plantation area of apples reached 597,600 hectares in the province last year, said Wei Zengjun, the province's vice governor at the ongoing Luochuan international apple expo.

China has become the world's largest apple production country, with its planation area and output both accounting for over half of that of the world, said Yu Kangzhen, vice agriculture and rural affairs minister.

"The loess plateau is considered favorable for growing apples and is one of the world's biggest apple production areas," Wei said. "Apple growing has become an important part of the province's poverty alleviation work and opening up."