Less volume could be compensated by better sizes
Estimate of smaller EU pear harvest
The Coscia-Ercolini variety will register a drop of 2 to 3% in Italy. In Spain, flowering suffered variations, from average to normal; the fruit set is normal to sparse and the fruit drop, from normal to abundant. Estimations on production have fallen by about 18% in Aragón and 20% in Catalonia.
The Guyot-Limonera variety, cultivated mainly in Spain and France, also shows significant fruit drop. After a normal-sparse flowering and fruit set, the production might drop by up to 20%. In Spain there were problems with the fruit set and drop, so a decrease of between 10 to 15% might be registered, mainly in the Lleida province.
Finally, the other Summer variety, the Portuguese Rocha, will also register a drop above 30%, after a smaller flowering and fruit set than in 2011.
There are still no figures for the later varieties. According to the first data offered by Interpera, there is abundant fruit drops for Conference in every producing region, and reductions are estimated for all, except in Belgium and the Netherlands where it will be kept stable.
The Italian Abate Fetel also suffered important fruit drop, so smaller numbers are expected, such as with the Blanquilla variety, this variety has a production expected to stabilize around 65,000-70,000 tons in the coming years.
Lastly, Williams also suffered important fruit drop after a significant period of flowering and fruit set in Italy and Spain. In Catalonia, they are eliminating hectares of this variety, as the price drop made it less profitable.
Source: Rionegro