The saying "peaches and plums are all over the world" has been passed down since ancient times, representing the infinite preference of the ancients for the two fruits of peaches and plums.
But the three of them are not separated, why don't the ancients mention apricots at all?
In northern China, apricots, peaches and plums are known as the three major native fruits, each with its own unique taste and advantages, and is deeply loved by people.
With the change of the times, the status of apricots has gradually declined, and even in some places it has been on the verge of disappearing.
How are apricots worse than the other two fruits?
What is the reason why apricots have gone from their former glory to their current decline?
"Kim" Kyoko
Apricot is a deciduous tree plant of the family Rosaceae, with a unique aesthetic overall, a thick green and open canopy, and reddish-brown branches.
The apricot, an attractive fruit, has a round body covered with a tight golden skin and a lovely light white fluff.
It is a native of China, native to Xinjiang, and the apricot tree is one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees in the mainland.
There are many apricot families, and there are more than 200 varieties cultivated, among which the more famous ones are Beijing crystal apricots, Shandong Licheng Dayu apricots, and Shanxi Yongji red plum apricots.
Apricots used to be the mainstream fruit in the northern region, and many people still remember apricots, and every family will plant a few apricot trees in the open space in the countryside.
Apricot trees have strong vitality and can survive unharmed in relatively barren land, coupled with their Xi of drought resistance, waterlogging resistance and cold resistance, so apricot trees are mainly distributed in Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Xinjiang and other places in the mainland.
The yield of an apricot tree is generally between tens of catties and hundreds of catties.
Not only are the apricots delicious, but the apricot blossoms are also amazing!
In ancient times, all topics related to apricots basically revolved around literature.
As recorded in the book "Zhuangzi": "Confucius traveled in the forest of curtains, sat on the apricot altar, his disciples read, and Confucius sang and drummed the piano."
As the first of the three major fruits in mainland China, apricots play a pivotal role in the history of the mainland.
In ancient times, apricots, along with peaches, plums, chestnuts, and dates, were known as the traditional "five fruits", and they are also one of the most common fruits in the northern region.
In rural areas, when you are close to the apricot trees, you can smell a unique fragrance.
When the children pick the apricots and bite into the firm flesh, the sweet taste immediately hits their taste buds, which is one of the few precious childhood memories for many people.
Is it really true that "peaches raise people and apricots hurt people"?
In the mainland, the apricot tree has been one of the most popular and widely planted fruit trees for many years, and over time, people's doubts and planting problems about apricots have led to the gradual decline of apricot trees.
The saying "peaches raise people and apricots hurt people" also made people have a different prejudice against apricots, and once thought that eating more apricots might be harmful to the body.
Although studies have shown that moderate consumption of apricots is beneficial to the human body, this negative perception still has a certain degree of impact on people's consumption Xi, even in the apricot harvest season, people do not dare to eat excessively, resulting in many apricots can only be lost or unable to find a consumer market.
There is also an ancient saying "red apricot out of the wall", which refers to women's cheating, and Li Yu, a writer in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, also called the apricot tree "Merry Tree".
This also leads people to avoid apricot trees, and even reluctant to plant them, in fact, there is no basis for this, but this is also one of the reasons why apricot trees are not welcome.
With the development of the times, people laugh at these sayings, which is not part of our consideration, but more of the situation of apricots in reality.
In fact, it is relatively easy for people to grow apricots, and many farmers choose to grow apricots as a source of income, resulting in an increase in market supply.
In terms of price, because of the oversupply, the price of apricots is relatively low, it is difficult for growers to obtain high profits, and other fruit varieties such as apples, peaches and plums are relatively high, and farmers have begun to shift their focus to these industries, and interest in apricot cultivation has gradually waned.
Although the processed product can extend the shelf life of apricots, the processing process destroys the taste and texture of apricots, making them taste less than fresh apricots, so consumer demand for processed products is still insufficient.
The cost of apricot processing cannot be ignored, which restricts the price of processed apricot products.
Why did you fall off the altar?
Apricot has a long history of cultivation in China and is an ancient and precious fruit, and according to literature, apricot trees have been cultivated for at least 2,000 years and were very popular in the past.
In many areas, the flourishing of apricot trees has even led to the formation of large apricot groves, which is a common sight in childhood memories.
Apricot trees are relatively simple to maintain, with just proper fertilization and care, they can thrive in the right environment, and because of the relative ease of planting apricot trees, many farmers have chosen apricots as part of their fruit tree varieties.
But unfortunately, the current market position of apricots is facing many challenges.
Unlike sweet fruits such as peaches and plums, apricots have a sour and slightly bitter taste, so not everyone can appreciate the flavor.
This has also led to a lower market demand for apricots, limiting the number and price level of its sales.
Apricots usually only take a few weeks to ripen, and once plucked are not consumed or disposed of in a timely manner, they can easily rot and spoil.
This increases the risk and cost of storage and transportation for farmers and sellers, and also limits the availability of apricots in the market.
With the improvement of people's living standards, the requirements for fruit types and quality have become more diversified, and now in addition to traditional fruit varieties, there are a variety of radical new varieties and imported fruits to choose from.
Consumer demand for apricots is gradually declining, which has had a certain impact on the market prospects of apricots.
But the value of apricots is still not negligible.
In traditional Chinese medicine, apricots are not only used as fruits, but also widely used in medicinal fields, almond cakes, almond juice and other foods, can reach the human body, play a laxative role.
In traditional Chinese medicine, almond soup is regarded as a tonic for moisturizing dryness, and has a unique pharmacological effect on nourishing the lungs and treating dry cough, and many Chinese medicine formulations also use apricots to exert their unique medicinal effects.
Whether as a fruit or a medicinal herb, apricots have irreplaceable medicinal properties.
In the face of the declining market position of apricots, people need to innovate ways to find ways to enhance market competitiveness, cultivate more new varieties with sweet taste, easier storage and transportation, and process them into various special products, which can comprehensively enhance the added value and increase the imitation power of apricots.
It is also worth mentioning that the cultivation of apricot trees also contributes to environmental protection, and the planting of apricot trees can prevent soil erosion, improve soil quality, and protect farmland from wind and sand, which is very important for achieving the goal of ecological agriculture.
The author said
The rise and fall of apricots reflects the changes in the living standards and consumption concepts of the people in the mainland.
With the development of society, people have more choices, no longer limited to traditional fruit types, the progress of science and technology allows us to enjoy fruits from all over the world, enriching our table.
But apricots, as the memories of our generation, are not the "niche" fruits in our eyes, how to bring these once beloved fruits back to life and become an indispensable part of our lives is what we should consider next.