The southern hemisphere crop is forecast to increase by 10 per cent year on year to 1.55 million tonnes. Exports are not expected to increase to the same degree however and should be some five per cent higher than last season at 827,098t. The figures were released last week by the World Apple & Pear Association at its meeting in Berlin. Kevin Moffitt of USA Pears was elected president of the body replacing Alessandro Dalpiaz at the end of his two-year term.
Output from Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa was included in the figures which also revealed that the Williams crop is expected to rise by 13 per cent to 486,000t and Packhams to 525,000t: a rise of eight per cent.
The stage is set for a smooth changeover from northern hemisphere supplies as pears in storage in the US are almost 17 per cent below levels seen in 2010 at 153,000t and European pear stocks are some 14.5 per cent down.
WAPA welcomed representation from China to its meeting for the first time. “The association will further explore co-operation with its Chinese counterpart,” said Moffitt. “…much remains to be done as WAPA is entering into its second decade of activities. I am looking forward to further enhancing and consolidating globally the role of the association while fostering the co-operation of members on so many matters of common concern.”
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