US Northwest pear exports have failed to meet initial expectations in China, according to Capital Press.
Close to 9,000 cartons of Red and Green Anjou were shipped from the Northwest to the Asian market last season, far fewer than the 40,000 cartons Pear Bureau Northwest president, Kevin Moffitt, predicted when the US pear industry finally won access to China in February.
“There was potential for that from the importers' standpoint but shippers were being very conservative,”Moffitt told Capital Press.
Pear Bureau Northwest’s international marketing director, Jeff Correa, said after more than 20 years campaigning to gain market access, the industry was not about to give up on China.
“Next year, we estimate 125,000 to 150,000 boxes (will be sent to China),” Correa explained.
“We expect it to be a top 10 market.”
Moffitt believed exports to China may reach 300,000 cartons in three years, as the industry looks to develop key markets outside Europe, where stringent minimum pesticide residue levels are restricting trade opportunities.
The Northwest is well positioned to ramp up its Chinese programme in the upcoming season, courtesy of one of its best crops in the past decade.
Industry representatives met in Portland last week to project the size of the 2013 harvest, with early estimates suggesting it will be 4 per cent larger than the five-year average and 2 per cent larger than last year’s crop.
The Red Anjou pear crop is expected to increase by 6 per cent, 14 per cent larger than the 5-year average.
Green Anjou’s crop size is forecast to rise by 3 per cent compared to 2012, while Bartlett production is projected to decrease by 5 per cent when compared to last season’s large crop.
“This year’s crop looks to be of very manageable size,” Moffitt said.
“With no major weather issues to date the industry is projecting a crop with excellent quality and fruit size to meet the demands of the domestic and export markets.”
The Northwest harvest will begin in early August.
