More than 200 producers and experts from the pear sector gathered in Ferrara, Italy, for the Interpera international congress.
As is the case every year, the initial production estimates for the coming season were unveiled at the event. They point to a slight decline for most countries.
- In Belgium, production is forecast at around 363,875 tonnes, with a fall of 7 per cent;
- In France, production is estimated at around 143,000 tonnes, with a fall of 6 per cent;
- In Spain, forecasts stand at 251,265 tonnes, with also a fall of 6 per cent.
- Portugal is an exception, with production expected to reach 130,500 tonnes, representing a 13 per cent increase.
- As for the Netherlands, the trend suggests production will be on a par with or slightly higher than the last campaign.
- In Italy, production currently appears to be higher than last year’s, but as the situation varies considerably from one region to another, the estimates are not yet final.
Elisa Macchi, director of CSO Italy, highlighted the decline in production across the European Union. Indeed, ten years ago, European production potential stood at around 2.4 million tonnes; by 2025, production had stabilised at around 1.8 million tonnes, due to a reduction in cultivated areas and difficulties linked to climate, plant diseases and the increasing complexity of management.
Developments in recent years also reveal a shift in the balance of power among producing countries. Until 2018, Italy played a very significant role on the European stage; after 2018, the geography of production diversified, with Belgium and the Netherlands gaining ground. Italian production in 2025 stood at around 293,000 tonnes, down by approximately 27 per cent on the previous year and a far cry from historical levels, when the national average exceeded 700,000 tonnes.
On the trade front, Elisa Macchi emphasised that, despite the decline in supply, exports to Europe had fallen only moderately. She also highlighted the growing international focus of certain countries, as well as the differences in their ability to establish a presence in foreign markets. Export propensity does indeed vary considerably: the Netherlands 86 per cent, Belgium 85 per cent, Poland 97 per cent, Portugal 58 per cent, Spain 38 per cent, whilst Italy stands at 14 per cent, largely due to the greater importance of its domestic market.
Presentations throughout the conference highlighted the challenges facing the sector in the six main EU-producing countries: generational renewal, crisis management, plant protection, adapting the production system to climate change, orchard productivity and labour costs.
To conclude the day, the key messages put forward by the speakers were as follows:
- The need to boost consumption by reaching new consumers (particularly young people), whilst advocating for its inclusion in public health policies;
- The importance of research and innovation for the development of new varieties, in particular, better suited to the effects of climate change;
- The need for active ingredients to protect orchards;
- The importance of the Common Agricultural Policy, and in particular the Common Market Organisation for fruit and vegetables and the operational programmes.
Interpera 2026 brought together Italian delegates, as well as several delegations from Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Bulgaria and more.
Organised by CSO Italy and AREFLH, Interpera received support from key partners such as UNAPera, the City of Ferrara, the Emilia-Romagna Region, and the companies Unitec, CIV, Isolcell, BPER, AgroFresh, Corteva and Natura Nuova.
