High temperatures accelerate fruit ripening and bring harvest forward
Rocha pear production in Portugal’s Oeste region is forecast to weigh in at 131,000 tonnes this season – an increase of 13 per cent on the previous campaign – according to the National Association of Rocha Pear Producers (ANP).
ANP president Filipe Ribeiro said high temperatures had accelerated fruit ripening and brought harvesting forward to the first week of August. “Fruit size has increased in recent weeks, and the pears show very good sugar levels, which favours their marketability,” Ribeiro told The Portugal News.
However, he warned that the heat had also caused some sunburn, although this was less severe than that seen two years ago.
According to the ANP, the sector continues to face pressure from diseases such as fire blight and Stemphylium leaf spot. The problem has been exacerbated by the European Union ban on certain plant protection products.
The association also raised concerns over labour availability, noting that producers were increasingly reporting difficulties in hiring seasonal workers due to a shortage of migrant labour and slow entry procedures.
Rocha pear acreage has fallen from 11,325ha in 2020 to around 10,000ha today. The main producing municipalities are Bombarral, Cadaval, Óbidos, Caldas da Rainha, Alcobaça, Lourinhã, Mafra, and Torres Vedras.
Some 58 per cent of the crop is destined for export, primarily to Brazil, Germany, the UK, Morocco, and France.
