The US Pear Bureau enters Chinese market

“Russia has previously been one of our top-3 largest markets, after Canada and Mexico. Overall, our exports this season to date have decreased by just 10%,” says Lynsey Kennedy, International Marketing Manager of Pear Bureau Northwest Company (USA).

“Another challenge this season has been the growth of the dollar rate in different markets, which has increased the prices for imported products. At the same time, the sales of pears in the domestic market have been good; and we managed to successfully diversify our sales, including exports to China, which has helped balance our trade.”

Indeed, the exports to China just started in 2013, and by now, the results of sales are very positive, and Kennedy believes the country may become one of the 5 biggest markets for American pears.

Other top target markets are Colombia, India and the UAE; some small volumes are shipped to Scandinavian supermarkets, but being that the pear production is so large in Europe – as well as the abundance of fruit in the market due to the Russian ban – American fruits have been more competitive in the Asian markets and Latin America.

Pear Bureau Northwest, established in 1931, is a non-profit marketing organisation to promote and develop markets for fresh pears grown in Oregon and Washington, distributed under the USA Pears brand. Combined, these two states comprise the nation’s largest pear producing region (84% of all fresh pears grown in the US). They also account for 92% of America’s fresh pear exports.

Pear Bureau Northwest represents 1,600 growers and 50 packers and shippers.

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