Pears

On the Bronisze wholesale market near Warsaw, domestic 'Konferencja' pears are selling at €1.2–1.5/kg, while imported pears fetch €1.6–1.7/kg. Polish orchards report smaller fruit size this season due to ongoing drought and low air humidity. read more

Prolonged heat and drought are causing significant losses in pear production in key Western European countries, leading to expectations of lower availability and potentially higher prices for the coming marketing season. read more

European apple production for 2026 is forecast at 9.5 million tonnes, a 16% decrease from 2025, marking the lowest harvest in nine years. Italian regions Trentino and Alto Adige report early harvests and lower yields due to extreme heat and water shortages. read more

At this year's Prognosfruit Conference in Constance, Germany (5–7 August 2026), the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) unveiled its highly anticipated forecast for the 2026/2027 season. read more

Wholesale prices for both domestic and imported pears in Poland remain stable at the start of August, with the first local harvests entering the market. Weather conditions in July supported fruit growth, but groundwater levels remain low. read more

France and the UK expect apple harvests close to five-year averages, while Ukrainian market participants predict a decline in wholesale apple prices for the 2026/27 season. read more

Catalonia projects a 9% rise in apple production to 289,600 tonnes for 2026, while Kazakhstan will ban apple imports, including from EU suppliers, from August to December 2026. read more

Belgium and the Netherlands are forecasting significantly reduced apple harvests for 2026, while Kazakhstan will ban apple imports—including from key European suppliers—from August to December 2026. read more

Dutch apple production for 2026 is forecast to fall 18% year-on-year to 195,000 tonnes, while Greek apple exports up to June 2026 have dropped by 38.6%. read more

The 2026 pear harvest in Spain's Murcia region is forecast to reach 23,360 tonnes, a 59% increase from 2025, with growing exports to key European markets including Germany and Italy. read more

Spanish and Dutch pear harvests are both up in 2026, with Ercolini and Conference varieties leading exports to European markets. Wholesale prices for Spanish Ercolini pears in Bilbao are quoted at €2.0–2.3/kg. read more

European organic apple harvest is expected to be smaller in 2026 due to hail, with potential price increases. South African apple exports see strong retail promotion in China, and US crop reporting will shift to later, more accurate estimates. read more

European organic apple harvest forecasts for 2026 indicate a smaller crop, while South African apple exports are rising and entering key Asian markets. Market prices for dessert apples in Europe have declined at the end of the season due to higher supply and lower demand. read more

Spanish authorities have granted Catalonia's apple growers exceptional approval to use Harvista™ to delay harvest and extend storage in the 2026 season. Meanwhile, European export prices for dessert apples have fallen due to higher supply and weaker international demand. read more

The Contact Group for apples and pears of the Joint Fruit and Vegetable Committee of France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain has gathered in Saluzzo, Piedmont, to review the current campaign and discuss the prospects for the upcoming season. This meeting, as reported by the Spanish press, read more

The Apple and Pear Contact Group, consisting of representatives from production and marketing, industry associations like Fepex from France, Italy, and Spain, as well as government officials, gathered in Saluzzo (Piedmont) on June 10 and 11. During the meeting, they expressed strong opposition to the Council's Omnibus Regulation proposal. read more

La Pera Opera stores the 2025-2026 commercial campaign in a difficult context for the Italian pear industry, marked by a strong contraction of available volumes, still limited productive yields, and a particularly aggressive European competitive pressure in terms of quantity and prices. read more

The prickly pear cochineal, Dactylopius opuntiae, is still impacting prickly pear cactus populations in Cyprus almost ten years after its initial discovery on the island. The insect was officially identified in September 2016 on prickly pear plants in the Famagusta district. read more