Customers to scan the QR code attached to the apple to look for basic information such as its place of origin, planting, harvest and delivery. [Photo/jiaodong.net]

The coastal city of Yantai in East China's Shandong province launched a quality tracing system for its apple industry on Oct 16, the first of its kind in China.

The system allows customers to scan a QR code attached to the apple to look for information about its place of origin, planting, harvest and delivery, as a way of ensuring consumer trust of the quality of Yantai apple on the market.

The quality tracing system also stores information about price fluctuation, sales data and target market, as a means to provide a reference for businesses to make decisions.

Since the Department of Commerce of Shandong Province initiated the construction of the system in September, 2016, the first batch of 23 Yantai-based leading companies have completed the installation and adjustment of the system, data collection and input.

The companies boast 296,000 mu (17,900 hectares) of apple planting bases, accounting for 11 percent of the city's apple planting areas. With 96 apple warehouses, their total storage capacity reaches 280,000 tons, which represents 8.5 percent of the city's apple storage capacity. In 2016, the total sales volume of the 23 companies reached 520,000 tons.

Wang Chunjie, an official of the Department of Commerce of Shandong province, recalled that some companies used to deceive customers by attaching the labels of Yantai apple on boxes of apples produced in other places.

The quality tracing system will help crack down such fraudulent acts and ensure that customers buy authentic Yantai apples, Wang said, adding that the system can help boost the reputation of Yantai apple.

A staff member demonstrates the quality tracing system for Yantai's apple industry, which contains basic information about apple planting, harvest and delivery. [Photo/jiaodong.net]