Belgium has become the largest producer of pears in the European Union, according to estimates published on Thursday at the Prognosfruit international congress in Trento, Italy.
A total of 412 million kilogrammes of pears will be produced this year, an increase of 19% on last year. Meanwhile, Italy, the former leader in production, is facing poor harvests.
Belgian statistics run counter to European figures. In Europe, a 13% drop in production, to 1.7 million tonnes, is expected.
This situation is due to climate change, according to the head of the Association of Belgian Horticultural Cooperatives, VBT, Luc Vanoirbeek. “Italy, and particularly Emilia-Romagna, has experienced periods of extreme drought and flooding. Italy used to produce a million tonnes of pears, but now we’re down to 182 million kilogrammes, or less than a fifth,” Vanoirbeek explained.
Apple production in Belgium, on the other hand, has seen a slowdown: production is down by 15% to 203 million kilogrammes. At the European level, the fall was around 3%, with 11.7 million tonnes of apples produced.
The Belgian decline is due in particular to a reduction in production areas.
“Since the 2018-2019 season, the area devoted to apples has fallen by 1,089 hectares to 4,896 hectares,” the head of the association of Belgian horticultural cooperatives explained. “The Jonagold (-620 hectares) and Jonagored (-569 hectares) varieties are the main ones affected. Next season, Belgian apple acreage will include less than half of Jonagold and Jonagored for the first time.”
On the other hand, Belgian apple production should see a sharp increase (+40%) in the production of other, less traditional varieties. “We can therefore speak of a change in trend in apple growing,” Luc Vanoirbeek said.
