The south-eastern Spanish region of Murcia could become an important source of summer pears.
Exporter Gruventa points to a 15 per cent increase in sendings over the past decade with the UK one of the most important markets.
Some 1,508 ha are under production of pears – a crop usually associated with more northerly Spanish regions – in Murcia.
Output is dominated by two varieties - Ercolini and Blanquilla - which both respectively account for 69 and 16 per cent of the crop. Sendings amounted to almost 4,000 tonnes last season.
The new season has just begun with the first fruit harvested in mid-July. Fermín Sánchez Navarro, Gruventa managing director, said: “The Murcia agriculture ministry has estimated that the crop will reach 29,837t this season. We are hoping for a well-balanced and stable campaign from a commercial perspective.”
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