Columbia Marketing International, headquartered in Wenatchee, WA, will market a quality pear crop this season. “There will be plenty of promotable pears,” said Vice President of Marketing Bob Mast. His assessment comes on the heels of information about a July 20 storm cell that caused damage to fruit-growing regions in Washington.

According to Mr. Mast, Washington’s coming apple crop will be affected the storm. He said there may be some surface damage to the skins of some pear varieties. But he expects some of the blemishing will be resolved as the fruit matures.

As it happens, Mr. Mast was driving to Salt Lake City, UT, Despite a July 20 thunderstorm, CMI expects to have a highly promotable pear crop. (Photo courtesy of CMI)when he encountered the thunderstorm. “It was a really big cell that went through,” he recalled. “It affected areas like Royal Slope, Mattawa and as far east as Winchester [WA]. The temperature on my rear mirror went from 87 degrees to 65 degrees in a matter of 45 seconds driving.”

Hail ranged in size from small pellets to golf ball-sized stones. “In the eight years I’ve lived in Wenatchee, it’s been the weirdest weather season I’ve ever seen,” Mr. Mast went on to say. “I have seen more lightning this season than I have ever seen during my time in Wenatchee.”

CMI expects it will pack some damaged pears as a hail grade value bag for retailers because the national pipeline is expected to be in short supply. Mr. Mast said this is because pear volume from the East will be down dramatically this season and processor demand has gone up.

The company markets a full pear manifest. According to Mr. Mast, the season will begin with Bartletts. Production will ramp up around Aug. 20, followed by Anjous around Sept. 5. Other pear varieties will follow in a normal manner with the harvest finishing in mid-October. Overall, Mr. Mast said he expects CMI’s pear volume to be on par with the 2011-12 crop year.

In addition to its conventional product, CMI grows organic pears. Conventional pears are marketed under the “CMI” label, and organic pears are marketed under the “Daisy Girl” label.

CMI has created a variety of eye-catching, high-graphics secondary display bins and tote bags to showcase its pears. Mr. Mast said the company will once again market product under the Petite Park Place pear program, which was introduced last season primarily in the Midwest. Mr. Mast said the two-pound bags feature smaller-sized pears, and the program received a positive reception in the marketplace.