U.S. pear growers are assessing options to address an oversupply following Del Monte Foods' facility closures in Washington and the company's bankruptcy. During a joint meeting of the Pear Bureau Northwest and the Fresh Pear Committee on November 12, Northwest Horticultural Council president Mark Powers said the industry may explore a USDA program that can reimburse growers for orchard removal.
Retail pricing was also a concern, with growers reporting slow movement despite a large crop. Industry representatives noted that Pacific Northwest cherries faced similar issues earlier this year. The current U.S. pear harvest is about 19 million 44-pound boxes, compared with 10 million boxes last year. CarrieAnn Arias, president and CEO of the Pear Bureau Northwest and the Fresh Pear Committee, said this year's volume is closer to historical levels.
The Fresh Pear Committee voted to create a task force with the processed pear sector to evaluate the USDA specialty crop program that could cover the cost of tree removal. Powers said the industry must realign supply and demand after Del Monte's departure and determine where processed pear volumes will be handled.
Heading into this season, the industry had an extra 10,000 tons of fruit, leading growers to focus on the fresh market while processors cancelled contracts, according to a canned pear specialist cited previously. Powers said many details remain to be clarified regarding a tree pull program. These include administration, duration, geographic eligibility, and criteria to prevent replanting pears on the same land. The estimated implementation timeline is 12 to 18 months. He also noted the USDA no longer has staff with experience from the last time a similar program was used for cling peaches two decades ago.
Adam McCarthy, a grower near Parkdale, Oregon, said Del Monte's assets may be sold soon, and processing could resume if a buyer emerges. If not, he said, processing capacity may not return.
Retail pricing remained a major topic. Doug Gibson of Mount Adams Fruit said retailers have not lowered shelf prices even with a larger crop. His father, Don Gibson, chairman of the Pear Bureau Northwest, said, "Pears are going to see significant losses that I don't see how we can avoid at this point with the size of the crop and the pricing in the market." McCarthy estimated grower losses at US$40 to US$50 per bin. He said, "I don't know how many growers are set up to lose that much money in the industry. I don't want to send people running from a burning building, but I think that's what we're looking at."
Arias reminded attendees that pricing cannot be addressed directly under federal marketing order rules, though individual businesses can act independently. The meeting also included updates on rebranding work, media outreach, and the growth of digital marketing in the U.S. and Canada.
Source: Capital Press
