New Pear Variety Part 2

New Pear Variety. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Yesterday we were introduced to a new pear variety out of New Zealand called the Papple™. The new variety is a cross between a Chinese and a Japanese pear and looks very much like an apple. New varieties are nothing new to the fruit industry as producers are always looking for something that will grow well here in the northwest and is well accepted by consumers. Alan Taylor, marketing director for Proprietary Variety Management says there are a lot of hurdles in bringing a new variety to market. TAYLOR: It is interesting the way that new products come to market now and you see that not only with pears like Papple™ but with apples as well. It's almost like we have a new apple or pear of the week where products are showing up at retail and if they have the right characteristics they hang in there. If they don't they may just be gone after that first week. And a grower that puts a sizable investment into a new variety would like to see a return but it doesn't always play out for the better. Taylor says that the Papple™ has a very good eating experience that the consumers may go for. TAYLOR: This is one that you can eat right off the tree, too which make it different. That's another problem that a lot of pears have because you have to ripen them. Or the stores will pre-ripen them before they put them out. You know like with the Bartlett's are green when they pick them and they pre-condition them so they're ripe and they're yellow when you get them. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.