The Argentine organic pear season is drawing to a close as the remainder of the later varieties are currently being shipped, before supply transitions to California. Supplies have been good but overall numbers were down slightly from last year.
"We are still receiving organic pears from Argentina but now in dwindling amounts," said Addie Pobst of Viva Tierra Organic. "We have passed the peak of the season and now volumes are starting to get smaller as the majority of what was scheduled to arrive has already come. There are only a few of the later varieties still available such as Packhams and Autumn Bartletts, while the Red and Green Bartletts and Bosc have finished, along with most of the specialty varieties. In the next month, we will be transitioning to California."
Market seeing good movement
Demand is good now that seasonal transition is in sight and buyers look to secure supply. And the moderately lighter volumes have helped to keep the market strong.
"The market is pretty strong and we are seeing good movement," Pobst noted. "As the end of the Argentine season approaches, buyers are looking to capitalize and ensure they have enough supply now that they are visibly finite. It's a good time of year for organic pears as we near the transition."
Organic Produce Summit an opportunity for discussion
Viva Tierra will be exhibiting at next month's Organic Produce Summit in Monterey, California. The company said the expo will give them a great opportunity to meet up with people and answer any questions they might have. Pobst mentioned that while previously, Viva Tierra would bring significant amounts of produce to these shows, times have changed and it's no longer as practical as it once was. Part of the reason, she says, is because supplying organic has become more reliable and they no longer need to demonstrate that quality produce can be supplied in consistent volume.
"At one time, we were bringing loads of produce to trade shows because there was skepticism whether volume and quality could be delivered and we wanted to show that it can," she explained. "Many of the challenges that organic growers faced previously have now been ironed out, and it's no longer as practical to take a lot of fruit to shows. While we will have some organic pears on hand, for us now the focus is on talking to people and answering any questions regarding our produce. We will also be talking with retailers and providing suggestions as to how they can present their organic produce in stores to make it more effective."
You will find Viva Tierra at Booth #216 at the Organic Produce Summit.
For more information:
Addie Pobst
Viva Tierra Organic
Tel: +1 (360) 855-0566