New production estimates have emerged from Pear Bureau Northwest that predict a further decline in the size of this year's crop.
Bureau president Kevin Moffitt revealed earlier in the week that production is now expected to fall 11 per cent year-on-year to 17.9m boxes, down 2 per cent on the five-year average of 18.29m boxes.
'The good news, really, is the fact that California is also expecting a smaller crop, as is Europe,' he told The Wenatchee World. 'So the entire fresh pear supply from the Northern Hemisphere will be down a good 10 per cent from last year.'
Mr Moffitt added that prices were expected to remain firm and maybe even grow on the previous year, with a smaller European supply meaning that Russian demand for Northwest pears in particular could increase.
The original estimate from Pear Bureau Northwest, which was made in June this year, put the 2010/11 crop size at 18.5m standard box equivalents, a drop of 8 per cent year-on-year, although volumes across Oregon and Washington are expected to fall in line with the five-year average.
Export promotions are set to take place in 39 countries through the campaign, with top export markets including Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Colombia and Hong Kong, with India proving a strong growth market for the industry.
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