Rocha has gained itself a reputation as a recognisable, quality pear that consumers trust and look out for, but sales growth this season may be hampered by a reduced, weather-hit crop.

According to Portugal’s National Association of Rocha Pear Producers (ANP), production this year is down by as much as 50 per cent on 2011, at nearly 114,000 tonnes. “This year the weather really affected production,” reports secretary general Sofia Comporta. “The temperatures at blossom and fruitsetting were very low, which is why quantities were lower than other years.”

Antonio Maria Martins, general manager of Cooperativa Agricola de Bombarral, says a combination of lower production due to bad weather and the wider economic malaise has proved a challenge for growers, and stresses that even though last year was “exceptional” for production, returns were poor. “Considering 2011 was a good production year, the price paid to the farmers was very low. This price wasn’t sufficient to cover the cost of production so the difficulties reflected on the land and producers had to cut costs.”

Coopval’s export manager Nelson Isidoro stresses that there are good sugar levels on fruit, giving flavour a boost, but says the lower production makes it difficult for growers to maximise sales opportunities across the continent.

The plus side of this year’s lower production could be that returns improve, according to Comporta. “Mostly it is an opportunity for all countries to increase prices and pay more to their producers,” she says. “This year all pears will receive attention because there will be a market for them all.”

The UK continues to represent an important market for Rocha pears and will continue to be so, Comporta insists, with around 28 per cent of production currently being sent to this country. “It is a very important market, one of the more traditional, where the consumer knows the product and is used to it,” she says. “We have worked in the UK market since 1998, and in our view the conditions are right to work in it for many years to come.”

The Rocha pear variety is native to Portugal and produced without any form of genetic modification. There have, however, been studies made with different types of roots and the production techniques are in constant development to achieve a better quality, explains Gilberto Franco, managing partner of Azueira-based producer Extrafrutas.

“What has been achieved is a pear that is recognised throughout Europe, Africa and America, and we are now going to begin exporting to Asia, specifically Hong Kong and Singapore,” he says.

Rocha is the only pear variety in Portugal to have been awarded Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) status. It is grown in the western part of the country, north of Lisbon and all the way to Alcobaça, and the plantations could well expand further, according to Franco. “We are investing in more plantations and normally produce 200 million kilos per year.”

Looking to the future, Rocha producers are pursuing new markets. “There are still gaps we can fill,” thinks Franco. “Given that this is a pear that is quite resistant to transport damage it makes it suitable for long-distance export.” —