Fresh Fruit Like Pears
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with today’s Fruit Grower Report. Promoting the availability and benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables is the focus of many in the ag industry, including the International Fresh Produce Association.
IFPA Vice President of Nutrition and Heath, Molly Van Lieu says the attitudes and markets for fresh produce are constantly changing …
VAN LIEU … “In the retail environment today, it doesn’t look like it did ten years ago, and certainly doesn’t look like it did 20,30, 40 years ago. So, you do see a wider variety and just a change in trends as well.”
But the options, Van Lieu says are out there …
VAN LIEU … “Certainly we’ve increased access to more fruits and vegetables, but there’s a difference between, you know, what people have access to and what people are buying.”
And pears, Van Lieu says are really interesting …
VAN LIEU … “Because when we look at why people aren’t consuming fruits and vegetables, a lot of it is because they are just choosing other things. At the end of the day, it comes down to flavor and what tastes good to people, convenience, how much time they have, and whether or not they know what to do with it.”
So, Van Lieu says education is key …
VAN LIEU … “Even within produce, pears is a great example of it, so when you’re moving to fresh, there is some education that’s needed of when to eat the pear, right, for optimal flavor, which some other commodities don’t have that, and the Pear Bureau does a wonderful job at that, but there’s always barriers that we need to keep working towards.”
Van Lieu credits Pear Bureau Northwest for their efforts in educating consumers on the nutritional benefits of pears.
