WAPA: EU growers expect to harvest 14% less pears in 2019.
03/09/2019
In 2019 EU producers are going to crop 2047 thousand tons of pears, what is 14% less than last season. In the Southern Hemisphere the production is expected to increase by 2% & reach 1327 thousand tons. These prospects were announced by World apple & pear association at Prognosfruit 2019, Belgium in the beginning of August.
According to the forecast, the current pear season doesn’t seem optimistic for European farmers. The worse season in the past decade is expected in Italy. Italian producers are going to crop just 511 thousand tons of pears, 30% less than last year. Italy will still stay the first by volume in EU, despite the failed season. In the Netherlands, ranking the second among the European producers, the crop is expected to be nearly 379 thousand tons, 6% less than 2018. In Belgium, the third one in Europe, farmers expect to crop 10% less pears. Spain, on the other hand, will strengthen its hand increasing production by 4% to 2018 & become the fourth in EU with the volume of 311 thousand tons. In tote, the balance of power on the EU pear market is supposed to stay the same. The decrease of pear production is also expected in Portugal, France & Germany. According to WADA experts, the pear crop in Portugal will amount 152 thousand tons (-6% to 2018), in France – 115 thousand tons (-15% to 2018) & in Germany – 37 thousand tons (-18% to 2018). Poland is expected to harvest 70 thousand tons of pears, what is at last year’s level.
The Southern Hemisphere pear season seems to be prosperous compared to Europe. According to experts’ prospects, the pear production in the Southern Hemisphere countries will overpass the last year result by 2% & amount 1327 thousand tons. In Argentina, leading in the region, the increase is expected to amount 4%. The crop there will overtop 600 thousand tons for the first time in three years. The production in South Africa, according to the experts, will stay at last year’s level & make 423 thousand tons. In Chile, ranked the third by volume in the region, will be the same increase as in Argentina – 4%. The Chilean farmers are planning to harvest 193 thousand tons of pears. The production is going to decrease in Australia (-7% to 2018; 98 thousand tons of pears) & in New Zealand (-7% to 2018; 13 thousand tons). But it will not have an impact on the market.
As in earlier years, Conference is expected to become the most popular variety in EU with the market share over 44% & output 910 thousand tons. Williams, despite the decrease of 15% in 2019, is going to be for the first time for the first time the second known variety with the volume of 230 thousand tons & market share of 11,2%. Abate Fetel will move to the third place with the result of 211 thousand tons. It’s the worse crop of this variety since 2010. The volume drop of Abate Fetel reached 34%.
Packham’s (460 thousand tons; market share - 34,7%), Williams (396 thousand tons; market share - 29,8 %) & Forelle (114 thousand tons; market share - 8,6%) varieties are leading in the South. The total production of these varieties is expected to increase by 2%. The others’ will stay at last year’s level.
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