A few years ago, the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Rincón de Soto was created for a group of companies producing and marketing Conference pears in the area of La Rioja. One of these companies is Frutas Pisón, which "truly benefits from the recognition," according to manager Ricardo Pisón. "In Spain, many people are no longer just looking for Conference pears from La Rioja, they also want it to have this PDO," explains Pisón.
Conference pears are harvested from late August or early September to June, so the season is currently in full swing. It is a product with campaigns that are like going uphill. The first months are slower, but then the market gains momentum; however, there is a bit of slowdown in the last months because imported pears also start arriving in Spain. "We are happy this year, because we have focused on expanding our network of contacts, so we expect to achieve better results in the next few years," states Pisón. In recent years, the Conference pear from La Rioja has been doing really well; the consumer is happy and the acreage is bound to expand.
As for the main competitors, the Netherlands and Belgium stand out the most due to their greater production volumes and lower costs. They also find it difficult to reach foreign markets, so they are taking short but safe steps; nevertheless, they are well-known at the domestic level.
For more information:
Ricardo Pisón
Frutas Pisón
Tel. +34 679 98 28 20