New-season crop of Northwest pears expected to be up 11 percent over 2004
New-season crop of Northwest pears expected to be up 11 percent over 2004
PORTLAND, OR -- According to figures compiled by Pear Bureau Northwest, this season's overall Northwest fresh pear crop is estimated to see an 11 percent increase over that of 2004, with Anjous predicted to be up 21 percent.
Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO of the bureau, said in late July that the 2005-06 crop estimate calls for 18.8 million 44-pound equivalents, up from 17 million in 2004. Moreover, the new crop will exceed the five-year average of 17.7 million boxes by some 6 percent.
"The season is on track, and we're average on timing," Mr. Moffitt said. "We'll have the main harvest of Bartletts the first and second weeks of August, and Anjous and Boscs will start in early September.
He went on to say that the crop "looks good, although there had been some hail in the Yakima area.
"We're expecting overall good quality, and sizing is expected to be average. There was a wet pollination period in some areas, and there was low moisture in the winter, Mr. Moffitt said.
"It was a very odd weather year, he continued. After a somewhat dry winter, the spring brought rain, which extended the snowmelt.
"Then it dried up a bit in July. Overall, we think it will even out, and we're now looking for sunshine until harvest, Mr. Moffitt said.
He added that the Northwest was expecting a four- to six-week period between the end of California's pear harvest and the onset of its own, but he said there should be no gap in supplies.
Looking at production by variety, Anjous lead the winter pear category with an estimate of 11.3 million boxes this year, compared to 9.4 million last season. Anjous are also up over the five-year average, which is 10.8 million boxes.
Bosc is second in fresh production, but this season the pear is expected to be down 5 percent from last year at 2.7 million boxes. However, Bosc will be right at the five-year average. Last season growers produced 2.8 million boxes.
Red Anjous will be up 5 percent over 2004 at 767,000 boxes, and the variety is taking a significant jump of 15 percent over the five-year average of 667,000 boxes.
Comice is expected to be up 3 percent over last year, with 197,000 boxes compared to 192,000, and Seckel will be up 18 percent over '04 with 54,000 boxes compared to 46,000.
Other reds will jump a full 47 percent over 2004, with 39,000 boxes this year compared to 27,000 last season. The production figure represents a 26 percent lift over the five-year average.
And combined, other varieties will be down with 115,000 boxes this year compared to 119,000 in 2004, but the production figure nonetheless is a 32 percent increase over the five-year average of 87,000 boxes.
Total winter pear production is estimated to come in at 15.2 million boxes, up 14 percent over last year and 5 percent over the five-year average.
With Northwest summer/fall pears, mainly Bartletts, coming in at 3.7 million boxes -- down a scant 1 percent from last year but up 11 percent over the five-year average of 3.3 million boxes -- the entire crop is bigger but "still very manageable, Mr. Moffitt said. Our acreage is steady, and yields continue to improve, Mr. Moffitt said, adding that production is increasing in the upper Wenatchee Valley, with new plantings starting to bear fruit.
The main production areas of Washington state are the Wenatchee and Yakima valleys, and in Oregon pears are grown primarily in the Medford area in the state's southern region and in the Hood River area along the Columbia River on the northern border.
Medford is seeing a decline in its pear production due to development, Mr. Moffitt noted.
And he added that Northwest organic pear production has stabilized at 2.5 percent of the area's total volume.
(For more on the Northwest pear deal, see the Aug. 22 issue of The Produce News.)
Kevin Moffitt, president and CEO of the bureau, said in late July that the 2005-06 crop estimate calls for 18.8 million 44-pound equivalents, up from 17 million in 2004. Moreover, the new crop will exceed the five-year average of 17.7 million boxes by some 6 percent.
"The season is on track, and we're average on timing," Mr. Moffitt said. "We'll have the main harvest of Bartletts the first and second weeks of August, and Anjous and Boscs will start in early September.
He went on to say that the crop "looks good, although there had been some hail in the Yakima area.
"We're expecting overall good quality, and sizing is expected to be average. There was a wet pollination period in some areas, and there was low moisture in the winter, Mr. Moffitt said.
"It was a very odd weather year, he continued. After a somewhat dry winter, the spring brought rain, which extended the snowmelt.
"Then it dried up a bit in July. Overall, we think it will even out, and we're now looking for sunshine until harvest, Mr. Moffitt said.
He added that the Northwest was expecting a four- to six-week period between the end of California's pear harvest and the onset of its own, but he said there should be no gap in supplies.
Looking at production by variety, Anjous lead the winter pear category with an estimate of 11.3 million boxes this year, compared to 9.4 million last season. Anjous are also up over the five-year average, which is 10.8 million boxes.
Bosc is second in fresh production, but this season the pear is expected to be down 5 percent from last year at 2.7 million boxes. However, Bosc will be right at the five-year average. Last season growers produced 2.8 million boxes.
Red Anjous will be up 5 percent over 2004 at 767,000 boxes, and the variety is taking a significant jump of 15 percent over the five-year average of 667,000 boxes.
Comice is expected to be up 3 percent over last year, with 197,000 boxes compared to 192,000, and Seckel will be up 18 percent over '04 with 54,000 boxes compared to 46,000.
Other reds will jump a full 47 percent over 2004, with 39,000 boxes this year compared to 27,000 last season. The production figure represents a 26 percent lift over the five-year average.
And combined, other varieties will be down with 115,000 boxes this year compared to 119,000 in 2004, but the production figure nonetheless is a 32 percent increase over the five-year average of 87,000 boxes.
Total winter pear production is estimated to come in at 15.2 million boxes, up 14 percent over last year and 5 percent over the five-year average.
With Northwest summer/fall pears, mainly Bartletts, coming in at 3.7 million boxes -- down a scant 1 percent from last year but up 11 percent over the five-year average of 3.3 million boxes -- the entire crop is bigger but "still very manageable, Mr. Moffitt said. Our acreage is steady, and yields continue to improve, Mr. Moffitt said, adding that production is increasing in the upper Wenatchee Valley, with new plantings starting to bear fruit.
The main production areas of Washington state are the Wenatchee and Yakima valleys, and in Oregon pears are grown primarily in the Medford area in the state's southern region and in the Hood River area along the Columbia River on the northern border.
Medford is seeing a decline in its pear production due to development, Mr. Moffitt noted.
And he added that Northwest organic pear production has stabilized at 2.5 percent of the area's total volume.
(For more on the Northwest pear deal, see the Aug. 22 issue of The Produce News.)
