Governor accompanies Oregon pears to Hong Kong

With the pear being the State of Oregon’s prized, official state fruit, and the related industry accounting for US$129 million in added value to the economy, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has shared his excitement in kicking off the delicious USA Pear season at a local supermarket in Hong Kong.

“Northwest Pear volumes to the Hong Kong market have doubled in the past 5 years, making Hong Kong our pear industry’s largest export market in Asia, and 8th in size in the world. Currently, over 4,000 members of Oregon’s rural communities contribute to the multitudinous pear harvest that brings the stable quality and ample supply of fresh pears to the territory,” said Gov. John Kitzhaber.

Jeff Correa, Director of International Marketing for Pear Bureau Northwest noted that Hong Kong is one of the Northwest pear industry's top 10 export markets, citing it as a very good export market for Green Anjous, Red Anjous and Bosc pears. “USA Pears have a 7 month window of availability in the Hong Kong market which makes it a key market during the second half of the USA Pear season,” said Correa. “So far this season we are off to a very strong start in Hong Kong, with confirmed orders to date reaching 22,000 boxes; an 87 percent increase of the 2011-12 season total through the same time period.”

For more information:
Cristie Mather
Pear Bureau Northwest
Tel: +1 (503) 652-9720
Fax: +1 (503) 652-9721
cmather@usapears.com