"The pear trees in Hebei have gradually begun to blossom in recent days. The main orchards are expected to enter the height of the blossom season around April 5th. Early-season Su pears will enter the market at the earliest around July 10th. The main pear orchards in Hebei suffered from a cold current in the morning of March 31st, between 2 AM and 6 AM. Many flowers withered in the cold, and some turned black as the temperature fell below minus 4 degrees Celsius. This will certainly have an influence on the shape of the fruit and the overall production volume of pears in Hebei this production season. However, the influence seems to be limited, as far as we can tell at the moment. The weather in the coming days will be decisive, and it is too early to tell whether the conditions will improve. The overall conditions of pear tree flowers this season are still quite promising, and the overall production volume is expected to increase much in comparison with last year." This is according to Zhang Xiaolei of Hebei Tianbo Industry and Trade Co., Ltd.
"The pear production volume was greatly reduced last year by cold weather in April. The volume of pears suitable for commerce in particular declined. This is also why the export price of pears is much higher now than it has been in recent years. The expected growth of pear production volume this year is therefore a return to normal conditions."
"China is one of the world's largest pear exporters. Pear orchards in Hebei supply more than 60% of China's overall pear export volume. The pear export market in Hebei is therefore indicative for the overall pear export conditions in China. The market conditions in the new production season should be alright. We have our own pear orchards in Hebei and we mainly produce for the export industry. We benefit from advanced refrigeration facilities to guarantee year-round supply of pears to domestic and overseas markets."
