Volumes of Rocha pears will reach their highest level since meaningful exports began, in the 2004-5 season.
Ideal growing conditions in the Oeste region of Portugal are set to send production of the unique variety soaring to 180,000 tonnes, a 20 per cent plus increase on last season and the largest volume for more than 10 years.
The UK market took 35 per cent of the overall volume last season, and more than 50 per cent of the Supreme category and Class I fruit on offer. It is also the primary target for this year's expanded crop.
"Portuguese growers have been waiting 20 years for these types of growing conditions," said Ricardo Machado, general secretary of ANP, the national association of Rocha producers. "Weather during the flowering period in April and May was ideal; it was hot and there were good winds and enough water. This is the best production year we have experienced since our breakthrough in the export market in 1991-92.
The ANP represents 100 per cent of the certified Rocha from Oeste, and the six exporters that deal with the UK multiple retailers. Since a disastrous year in 1998, when Fire Blight wiped out the entire export crop, the association has increased the level of direct support and advice it gives to the region’s growers. “It could happen again, but the ANP did not have as much control then and with the systems we have in place now, it could not be as dramatic.”
The association also plans to support this season’s volumes by collaborating with ICEP, the Portuguese trade and tourism office, in a UK promotional programme in the UK.
“We are hoping to talk to all of the supermarket customers in September, by which time we will have concrete production figures and a far better idea of how the season will pan out,” said Machado. “We would like to organise a series of in-store tastings, which would be backed up by consumer media advertising.
The Rocha pear does have a certain level of recognition with consumers, but the ANP wants to expand the brand’s reach. “We need people to know the flavour of Rocha and we ant them to recognise the brand and the characteristics of the product,” said Machado.
The entire export crop is sent to the fresh market, but the medium-term vision is to develop the brand in order to break through with processed Rocha products, such as wines, conserves and cakes and pastries. “There is potential to grow sales in the UK and our partnership with ICEP gives us an ever better opportunity to exploit that,” Machado said.
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