The Ercolini pear season in Baix Segre, a region in the northeastern Spanish province of Lleida, has started about 10 days earlier than usual. According to Jordi Vidal, head of the provincial department of the trade association Asaja, producers expect excellent quality fruit and good sizes this season. "However, in some areas this summer pear's sizes might be somewhat smaller."
Vidal, who is also a producer, irrigates his Ercolini crops with water from the Seròs canal. However, he is concerned about the various apple and pear varieties that depend on the water supply from the Urgell Canal. The survival of the trees is assured and the Hydrographic Confederation of the Ebro has provided produces with an additional 50 hectometres of water after the last rainfall. How the crops will evolve, remains to be seen.
However, he stressed, they expect a recovery in volumes after last year's small harvest due to frost. In fact, the recent Interpera congress in Lleida forecast that the Spanish pear harvest could grow by 53% over last year's poor season.
Source: segre.com