Trend prediction and influencing factors of the production comparative advantage of China’s main apple-producing provinces

The apple industry is an essential industry to assist in rural revitalization. However, in recent years, the urbanization, industrialization, globalization and climate change have brought various challenges to the apple industry in China's main apple-producing provinces. Given this, effectively identifying, enhancing on apple production comparative advantage (APCA) is imperative to safeguard the long-term sustainable development of China's apple industry. This study aims to explore the evolutionary trends and influencing factors of APCA, and to provide quantitative support for the formulation of scientific and effective apple production policies.