Del Monte Closure Impact
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Northwest Pear harvest should be wrapping up within a couple of weeks, with forecast estimates calling for a 60% increase over last year’s disaster crop hit by untimely freezing temperatures.
Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, says that is great news … but …
DeVANEY … “It doesn’t mean it was without some hiccups, though. A lot of our pear growers were impacted by the unfortunate closure of one of the remaining canaries, the Del Monte pear canary here just before the start of the season. And that caused a fair bit of disruption.”
The timing of the closure, DeVaney says was not ideal …
DeVANEY … “Some growers that were thinking that they had some of their fruit contracted to go to that facility were then having to pivot fairly quickly to finding an alternate market.”
In reality though, DeVaney says this has been coming …
DeVANEY … “It’s been a change in the industry. A lot of consumers are moving away from canned products towards fresh which is a longer-term trend that folks have been watching.”
DeVaney says USDA has provided some help …
DeVANEY … “They have resources available to help cushion market shocks like that, and they did commit $20 million to do additional both canned and fresh pear purchases which will help smooth out that transition as some growers maybe pivot away from having as much of their fruit planned for the canary market.”
DeVaney says many growers had already incurred the costs of growing and cultivating that fruit through the season.
