01/17/07 Fresh Pear Market

Taking A Look At Fresh Pears. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. While the size of pear crops doesn't compare with apple production, overall pears are seeing an increase according to Northwest Pear Bureau's Kevin Moffitt. MOFFITT: Worldwide production of pears has grown significantly since '95 and most of the production has been driven by Chinese production. Although Moffitt says there has been an overall increase, Northwest crops have been flat. MOFFITT: We've been relatively flat since the short crop in '96 followed by a record crop in '97, but relatively flat since then. From an import side of the equation, it's also been relatively flat. We spiked in 1999 and the last few years have been averaging right around 4 million boxes of imported pears. But Moffitt says the export value is up. MOFFITT: But even in these last few years when maybe the volume hasn't been as big on the export side, values have increased. Last years export value was 118 million dollars in fresh pear exports. And Moffitt says that D'Anjou pear production is slipping. MOFFITT: D'Anjou production is averaging about 56% of the crop today, that versus 63% 10 years ago. This year D'Anjou is only expected to make up about 52% of the fresh production. Tomorrow, more on fresh pear production. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.