FuturPera: a perfect location in the Land of top quality pear
With its productive vocation and an innovative supply chain in continuous development, this area has become the centre of Italian pear growing and from here new ideas and plans are conceived for the continuous exploitation of the product on new markets. Italy produces an average of 750,000 tonnes of pears, hence its status as the top grower in Europe. The total amount of pears grown in Italy in 2016 was approximately 680,000 and, of these, 450,000 tonnes were grown in Emilia-Romagna. The general quality of the product reaching the market is excellent with sizes of +75, also due to increasingly advanced growing techniques that place great importance on environmental sustainability.
Italian pears are also becoming more popular with Italians themselves, as shown by the increase on the domestic market over the last three-year period, which in 2015 was roughly 24% higher than in 2013, a trend which 2016 is set to confirm and a sign that the growing commitment and ability to enhance the product is leading to good results. But Italian pears are also popular abroad and an average of 140,000 tonnes of pears are exported, about 20% of the total amount grown. And it is actually the German market that has the highest demand for top quality Italian pears, as 40% of the pears exported are sold in Germany. In general the Italian product is enjoyed throughout the European Union where 90% of exported pears are sent, in particular France, Romania, Austria and some countries in Eastern Europe.
Through events such as FuturPera and the strategic effort of the whole supply chain, the aim is to create openings to new markets for Italian pears, new consumers who understand the value of a good and healthy product, with unique characteristics.