Pear Bureau Northwest has released their initial projections for the 2016 after their annual meeting last week.

 

Washington’s Wenatchee and Yakima growing regions along with Oregon’s Mid-Columbia and Medford areas are expected to harvest 414,000 tons, or 18.7 million boxes, of pears a two percent increase from last year, but seven percent below the five-year average.

 

President and CEO of Pear Bureau Northwest Kevin Moffitt says that, “Growers are reporting beautiful, clean fruit that is filling out nicely in terms of fruit size.”

 

The top varieties are Green Anjou at 50 percent of the total crop, Bartlett at 23 percent and Bosc and 17 percent.

 

The harvest is expected to start early this year sometime in late July or early August.

 

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