Oneonta pear harvest begins early in 2015
Oneonta pear harvest begins early in 2015
The pear harvest is already under way for Oneonta Starr Ranch Growers. “Fruit will be exceptionally early this year. The first harvest was expected the end of July from early areas,” said Director of Marketing Scott Marboe. Bartlett production was expected to ramp up Aug. 5, followed by Starkcrimson.
He said the 2014-15 pear season ended, “mostly well. We had some issues in storage as an industry with scald and so forth. We are looking forward to a much better year this season.”
Some orchards are in transition to organic production.
“We are still holding steady,” Marboe said of facilities improvements. “We are looking at making some upgrades to the pear line.”
Oneonta grows and markets a full pear manifest. New varieties continue to be assessed, and Marboe said consumer demand for Asian pears “seems to be getting a little stronger every year. We are seeing growth across the country on many varieties and many retail shelves.”
On the export side, Marboe continues to emphasize its export program. Mexico and Central America are always good markets.
“China continues to be a growing partner, and we are established well with some excellent customers and building a strong footprint there.”
According to Marboe, ripening programs continue to be a focus for many domestic retailers. “We follow the standard practices recommended by the Pear Bureau Northwest and their team,” he said of the company’s own program.
To increase sales, he recommends retailers build displays that serve as destinations. “Keep it in the forefront. Use the point-of-sale materials provided by ourselves and the Pear Bureau Northwest,” Marboe explained. “There are great opportunities week in and week out here. Use multiple varieties, especially in October through March. Consumers are trying new things.”
