High temperatures and drought reduce pear harvests in Western Europe
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.
In Belgium, the Flemish Agriculture and Fisheries Agency reports that the combination of low humidity and exceptional temperatures is generating concern for summer crops, including pears. While a consolidated estimate is not yet available, authorities expect yield losses in irrigated vegetables and fruits such as apples and pears. For potatoes, losses are already estimated at 20% in the east of the country, and similar reductions are anticipated for pears, which are a major Belgian export product to European markets including Poland.
In the Netherlands, last season’s high pear yields led to storage and logistical bottlenecks, limiting Dutch purchases of imported pears, including from Poland. However, for the current 2026 season, lower pear harvests are expected due to adverse weather, which could increase demand for pears from other supplying countries and may affect the competitive landscape in the European market.
France is identified by FAO as one of the countries of greatest concern due to successive heatwaves and low soil moisture, which have impacted late-stage summer fruit crops. Western France, a key pear-producing area, is particularly affected, with the potential for reduced harvest volumes and smaller fruit sizes. This is likely to limit French pear exports and may lead to higher prices in Western European wholesale markets.
Germany’s southwest is experiencing strong water stress in summer crops due to persistent high temperatures and dry soils, as noted by both FAO and the German Farmers’ Association. While the focus is on cereals, fruit crops such as pears are also affected, with expectations of significant yield reductions. Lower German production may increase import demand from neighboring countries and impact supply in Central and Eastern Europe.
In Austria, the public agricultural agency AMA has confirmed that heat and drought have severely reduced the cereal harvest, with regional forage losses of up to 50%. While food-grade grain supplies are considered sufficient, the ongoing drought is expected to negatively impact fruit crops, including pears, further tightening regional availability.
European wholesale prices for pears have not yet been officially set for the 2026 summer campaign, but traders anticipate upward pressure due to the combined effect of lower harvests in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria. This situation is expected to increase demand for imported pears in Poland and other Central European markets in the coming months.
Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker · Illustrative image generated by AI