European summer pear output is expected to recover from its low levels of 2010 according to figures released at last week’s Interpera conference at Aix-en-Provence in France.
Crop forecasts from Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Belgium were announced at the meeting of Europe’s pear sector.
Portugal’s output of native variety Rocha is forecast to produce its biggest crop in nine seasons at 200,000 tonnes: a 17 per cent rise on last season. Beneficial climatic conditions in Portugal mean that native variety Rocha had a normal blossoming period according to growers’ association ANP.
Spanish growers are forecasting that their harvest will begin in line with recent seasons’ averages while France, Italy and especially Belgium are expecting a start to the season two weeks early.
Conference in Italy has enjoyed “abundant” flowering and fruit set, trade body CSO said at the Aix meeting. The Belgian crop has had normal flowering and fruit set however, these have been accompanied by a more abundant fruit drop. And in Italy Abate Fetel had abundant flowering and fruit set while drop was more normal. In Spain Blanquilla has suffered from sustained fruit drop after normal flowering and fruit set. Italian Williams has experienced considerable fruit drop after abundant fruit set and French and Spanish Williams are in a similar position.
In volume terms, France is expecting Guyot and Limonera summer pears to rise 10 per cent above 2010 levels to some 50,000t. Output in Italy of the summer varieties is likely to reach some 52,000-54,000t. In Spain output will be some 17 per cent down on last season at 35,000t according to the estimates released last week for Ercolini and some two per cent down for Limonera and Guyout at 40,000t.
