12/16/08 Pear Market Trends

Pear market Trends. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Agriculture has been doing pretty well even in the down turn of the economy and Kevin Moffitt with Pear Bureau Northwest says pears are holding up well. MOFFITT: So in the current economic environment consumer sentiment is low but pears still remain a core item, more than a core item or a luxury fruit. Fresh pear prices have fared pretty well in past several years. Last year they reached $534 per ton versus $318 per ton in 2001. And last year we had our third largest crop in our history. Moffitt says that grower costs have risen so it is a challenge for growers to make more money. He says that worldwide we are seeing a growing middle class and targeting that group should he maintain the pear market. MOFFITT: This emergence of the middle class is also bringing with it some supermarket changes. There are more supermarkets in the middle classes and fewer of the traditional markets around the world. For example in Latin America supermarkets represented between 10 and 20% of the market share in the 1980's. He says that share is rapidly approaching the U.S. level of 70 to 80% supermarket penetration. Another area that has gained attention is the products carbon footprint. MOFFITT: I remember when I started in the produce business in the early 1980's, I worked for Dole. Jet fresh pineapples were prized. Today people are looking closely at how far things travel as how they travel. Flying in pineapples on a jumbo jet just doesn't have the same appeal as it once did. Tomorrow, more on the fresh pear market with Kevin Moffitt. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.