Pears are among the most popular fruits in the world, and it’s no surprise why! They are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, cholesterol free and completely fat free! Combined, Washington and Oregon compromise the nation’s largest pear producing region. They produce approximately 88% of all fresh pears grown in the United States and account for 92% of America’s fresh pear exports. With more than 10 varieties, the opportunities for use are endless, in tartlettes, grilled, poached in wine and in salads.
Pears and pear growers are such an integral part of the produce growers they’ve been awarded $1.4 million in relief from tariffs and retaliatory duties by the USDA. The purchased commodities will be divided among food and sustenance programs around the US. While the Chinese tariffs will impact exports, the pear season appears to be well supplemented by demand from other countries in Central and South America, easing the burden on growers. The outlook is positive as the growth of the crops in the Pacific Northwest continue to find markets. The largest competitor in this market is currently Chile, who had a less favorable crop this year, easing concerns regarding competition in markets.
We here at Commodity Forwarders,(CFI) a division of Kuehne & Nagel, move pears by sea freight to numerous countries including India, Brazil and the Dominican Republic, to name just a few. Since pears are one of the few fruits that ripen off the tree, special care has to be taken to ensure the pears don’t mature while in transit and the best way to do this is to move in refrigerated containers. The reefer keeps the fruit chilled, delaying maturity while controlling the air flow around the fruit to maintain its freshness. CFI specializes in refrigerated containers, moving 99% of our overall volume in reefers. We are experts at controlled atmosphere (CA) – a highly specialized way to scrub the oxygen being introduced into the container thus eliminate the nitrogen and gas that can cause ripening during transit.
