Pear Harvest Update

Pear Harvest Update. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. As with most crops the pear crop is running late according to Dennis James, Marketing Director for Pear Bureau Northwest. JAMES: I think anybody who lives in the Pacific Northwest is fully aware of the cool weather we've had throughout the summer and the wonderful rains we've had that came right into harvest time here this last week in particular and what that has really added up to if from what I've been told from a few of the growers that this is probably one of the latest harvests that this community has seen in many of these folks lifetimes. So what is coming off the trees? JAMES: What that's translating to when we look at the pears is that the Star Crimson's and the Red Bartlett's and Bartlett's are being harvested or already been harvested with the two red pear varieties and we're still seeing some Bartlett – some green Bartlett harvest taking place but the winter pears are running a little behind at this moment. James says cooler weather could affect the pears. JAMES: One of the initial concerns is cooler times like this will have the potential to provide a slightly smaller piece of fruit and I think the little additional time on the trees that we're seeing in particular for the winter pears, the sizing that I saw all week long looked very good. I think we are very much on track to a traditional year with sizing. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.