In W23 in the pear landscape it was reported that South African pears are expected to thrive in the market, particularly in Europe, Russia, and China. Despite hail damage in the Langkloof region, the demand for Forelle pears remains strong. South Africa has also seen an increase in exports of 2.5 million boxes of apples and pears to India, with growing demand. Popular apple varieties include Royal Gala, Flash Gala, and Top Red, while preferred pear varieties include Packham, Vermont Beauty, and Forelle.
The European pear stock decreased by 40.1% to 100,524 tons, while in the US, pear stocks increased by 2.5% to 40,968 tons. Among the varieties, Conference stocks dropped by 28.3%, while Alexandrina stocks increased by 31.7%. The sales season for Dutch Xenai pears concluded earlier than expected, with 300 tons sold to Sweden and Morocco. A Xenia Europa's sales manager expressed satisfaction with a successful harvest, emphasizing Scandinavia and Germany as primary markets. Xenia, being a new variety, requires an introduction and acceptance process. The Belgian agricultural price index for April 2023 rose by 6.9% compared to a year ago, with the horticulture index increasing by 19% due to the price surge of pears, which rose 40.5% YoY in one year and 38.3% YoY in March 2023. Lastly, the UK will maintain tariffs, quotas, and product-specific safeguards on Australian agricultural products for several years, resulting in a gradual removal of tariffs for UK consumers. Tariffs on strawberries and pears will be eliminated over a four-year period.
Lastly, according to the Staay Food Group, a major market player, the current pear market is described as "very pricey". Prices started at a low level but have now reached high prices. While this is beneficial for growers with remaining pear stocks, it poses challenges for many parties to fulfill their obligations. Staay Food Group has acquired Direct Fruit Services to expand their offering of Dutch and Belgian pears, including exclusive varieties like Early Desire, Dazzling Gold, and Red Conference. Since 2018, Staay Food Group has been working on developing Red Conference pears and has made investments to increase production. The red variety is in high demand across all markets where green Conference pears are sold.
