Good Year For Pears

Good Year For Pears I'm Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today. Pear Bureau Northwest's Kevin Moffitt says the pear crop, like many other crops this year, is ahead of schedule. Growers were already half way through picking their Starkrimson and Bartlett varieties at the end of August and Anjou harvest is just getting underway. MOFFITT: We're picking two weeks earlier than last year. So, we are further along than average, but we still have a long harvest to go with the winter pears as well. Moffitt says that this year's pear crop may be slightly larger than last year's. MOFFITT: Maybe 4% above last year and 2% above a five year average. So not huge, but it may come in a little heavier. At this point our first estimate would have made it our third largest crop in history, so I suspect we'll still be around that size when things are all said and done. Moffitt reports that there is a very robust pear promotion program this year for the domestic market along with new data for retailers. MOFFITT: Showing them how their particular pear category compares to their competitors. This provides the retailer with some excellent data and shows them where they have opportunities. We also will have some new consumer data to bring to the retailers. There will also be an on-line training course for supermarket personnel. MOFFITT: We want to be able to provide them with some really basic information about pears and information they can provide to their customers about pears - how to ripen them, or what to do with them, or what their nutrients are. That's Washington Ag Today. I'm Lacy Gray on the Ag Information Network.