W30: Pear Update

In W30 in the pear landscape, in Spain, Catalonia's pear harvest forecast for 2023 is 31% higher than the previous five years, with 126 thousand tons expected. Lleida is expected to harvest 121.8 thousand tons, while Girona and Tarragona will harvest 3.2 thousand tons and 870 tons, respectively. Pear harvest is expected to be seven to 10 days ahead of 2022. Inclement weather in 2022/23 affected forecasts for apples and pears, but no significant frosts were observed. Additionally, it was reported that a storm in Lleida, Spain, caused damage to 4.3 thousand hectares (ha) of crops, with conference pear farms being the most affected. The Ministry of Climate Action reported losses of 20% in conference pear farms, while 950 ha of olive trees suffered 50% damage. The strong winds caused fruits to fall, especially in pear varieties about to be harvested. Acció Climàtica estimates that damage to pears can be around 20%, particularly affecting the conference pear variety.

On the other hand, Dutch media reports a drop in the Netherlands’ pears harvest estimates in 2023, with 341 million kg of pears predicted, a 3% year-over-year (YoY) decrease. The Conference pear variety remains the most cultivated, with an expected harvest of 263 million kilos, a 2% YoY decrease. Cyclone Gabrielle has impacted Hawke's Bay apple and pear growers in the Netherlands, resulting in a loss of USD 270 million in earnings. The industry typically generates USD 560 million in revenue during a good year, but 2023 saw a 34% drop in production due to flooding, leading to lower revenue. Additionally, growers incurred costs of USD 78 million before the harvest due to the cyclone's effects.

Meanwhile, the Pear from the Emilia Romagna region had a challenging year in 2023 with severe weather conditions, such as frosts, hailstorms, and floods, causing a 40% YoY drop in Italian pear production. UNAPera, the largest European organization of pear producers, predicts that the available pear production for the Italian fresh market will meet the needs of reference customers and operators involved in promoting national pears. The situation emphasizes the importance of improved management and preparedness to ensure the ongoing success of the production process. Lastly, the Il Girasole cooperative in Paternò, Catania will start harvesting Coscia pears in Aug-23, but the volumes are lower than in previous years. The cooperative's commercial manager expects the pears to be of excellent quality for consumption. However, adverse weather conditions, including rainfall, freezing, hailstorms, and torrid heat, have affected production in the Bronte and Maniace area in 2023, posing challenges for the pear crops. The Italian cooperative aims to compete in the Spanish Coscia pear market in Sep-23 and Oct-23 faces competition from the Palermo area and Ribera region. They anticipate increased consumption from the end of Aug-23 until Autumn.