Pears

WHAT ARE PEARS?

A pear is a fruit that varies from apple shaped to teardrop shaped. Its skin colour ranges from light yellow through red and brown. The flesh of pears is juicy and in some varieties, such as Asian pears, almost translucent.

WHERE ARE PEARS PRODUCED IN BC?

Pears are grown in the Okanagan, Similkameen and Kootenay valleys. Pears grow best on heavy soils. This limits the areas where they can be grown.

HOW MANY PEARS DO WE PRODUCE?

BC produces 7 million kilograms of pears. This includes 50% of the Canadian crop of Bartlett pears and all of the commercial production of Anjou pears. These are the main pear varieties grown. Other varieties grown include Bosc, Red and Asian pears.

HOW ARE PEARS PRODUCED?

It takes 6 to 8 years from the time a rootstock is planted until pears can be picked. Two varieties must be planted in an orchard for cross pollination. Pears need to be thinned soon after the fruit forms as pear trees often try to support too many pears. If excess fruit is not thinned, pears will be undersized.

Pears are picked by hand before they are fully ripe. If pears are left to ripen on the tree, the flesh will turn brown and soft. Bartlett pears come on the market near the end of August. They are a clear yellow when ripe. Anjou pears are harvested in mid to late September.

WHAT DOES A PEAR LOOK LIKE WHEN I USE IT?

Pears can be eaten fresh, plain or in salads. They can be baked, pickled, canned, frozen, used in baby food, or processed into jams, jellies and pies. A pear is 83% water, a good source of B vitamins, and contains some vitamin C, phosphorus and iodine.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE PEAR LEAVES THE FARM?

Once harvested, pears are packed and stored in cold storage in the packinghouse. In order for Anjou pears to mature properly before being eaten. they require 1 to 2 months in cold storage. Anjou pears are one variety of pear that is able to be stored through the winter. When pears are brought home from the supermarket they can be ripened by placing them in a bag and checked for ripeness after 7 to 10 days. The pear is ripe and ready when it yields to gentle thumb pressure at the stem end. When ripe, the pear is sweet, buttery, tender and filled with juice. Put only ripe pears in the refrigerator as cold storage is what keeps them from ripening. Pears are one of the few fruits that do no ripen well on the tree.

WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE PEAR PRODUCER FACE?

The main challenge pear producers face is trying to increase consumer demand. This can be done through increased advertising and promotion and through the introduction of new varieties.

WHO'S INVOLVED IN PRODUCING PEARS?

• Pear orchard owner
• Orchard labourers to prune, thin and harvest
• Fruit processors
• Packinghouse employees
• Fruit inspector

Interesting Fact About Pears:

In the last three years, pear growers have learned how to control a pear insect pest called psylla through a soft chemical program combined with the introduction of predators that prey on the psylla and other insects such as mites.

Contacts and other resources:

• BC Fruit Growers' Association
• BC Fruit Packers
• BC Tree Fruits
• InfoBasket: Your Portal to Agri-Food Information on the Internet
• Tree Fruit Information - BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands