In W29 in the pear landscape, Spain has been experiencing extreme weather recently, with heavy rains and a heat wave in the northeast. On July 11, Jumilla, a village in Murcia, experienced a fall wind, causing significant damage to crops from Jumilla to Yecla. Miraflores experienced 100% damage, while Cañada del Judío escaped the fall wind's effects. The wind knocked down approximately 15 to 20% of pears with the designated origin, causing a loss of 400 thousand to 500 thousand kg of pears.
Compared to 22, the Dutch harvest of apples and pears is expected to be lower in 2023, with an estimated harvest of 341 million kg of pears. The Conference harvest, which accounts for over three-quarters of the Dutch pear harvest, is estimated at 263 million kg, 2% lower year-on-year (YoY). Furthermore, last summer's extreme heat in Europe negatively impacted pears, but pear growers benefited from low volumes from the Southern Hemisphere in 2023. Due to the impact of the heat on the crops, harvesting took place earlier than usual, leading to improved prices for the produce. There was particularly high demand for small fruit sizes, specifically those under 55mm, which were sold for over USD 1 each.
Europe's pear supply volumes have significantly declined, and South Africa faced nearly 20% fewer pear exports this 2022/23 season. Despite experiencing hail, pear sizes were not significantly affected. As a result, there was an undersupply of pears in Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East. According to some exporters, South African pears are having a "hyper-good" season in Europe. However, the tariff on these exports will end in mid-July/August. Additionally, the United Kingdom (UK) season remains consistent with no Brexit-related changes, and there are no lower volumes compared to 2022.
Lastly, India has approved an in-transit cold treatment for topfruit, which led to reduced waiting times for pears to be loaded in South African cold stores. This change not only frees up storage space but also eliminates the need for exporters to wait for ten days. As a result, the new treatment is expected to attract more pears to India and China, while traditional markets like the UK may receive fewer South African pears.