“I expect a big price difference in the pear market between small and large sizes”

VHM Fruit Trade has once again enjoyed a good water supply this season. When necessary, water has been brought in from elsewhere. "That's why the company's volume in kilos is roughly at the same level as last year. The fruit sizes on our farm have been quite good."

Abundance of Small Sizes: In general, this season's pears are somewhat smaller. However, orchards where conditions have been favorable have a sufficient supply of large sizes. "We're seeing quite a few Conference pears measuring 65 and 70 millimeters or more. That's positive, especially since I expect significant price differences between small and large sizes."

The retail sector can accept a smaller size on the shelf to a certain extent, but there are limits. "If a 60-millimeter size is normally used, perhaps going down to 55 millimeters is acceptable, but a 50-millimeter size is already too small. A 55-millimeter size can still be sold, but below 55 millimeters we're talking about really small pears that aren't easy to display."

The abundance of small-sized pears could, in fact, become a problem this season. In a normal year, the smallest pears tend not to be harvested, but this year there is such a large volume of them that they are reaching the market anyway. "There are certainly outlets for the small-sized pears, including in Belgium and the Netherlands. The problem is that this year there are excessive volumes, and those markets cannot absorb it all. If there are too many small-sized pears and the market can't handle it all, in the end, some will have to be withdrawn. That is something we would naturally prefer to avoid."

For producers, the differences between various growing areas thus become even more significant. "There will be very noticeable differences between different producers. Those who have really worked well and achieved a good size will come out on top. Those who haven't managed to do so because they lacked water will probably feel the consequences."

Then he expects a recovery. "We anticipate that demand will pick up again later. It's something we see practically every year after the Madrid trade fair." Despite the smaller size, VHM Fruit Trade has high hopes. The quality, above all, inspires confidence, according to Christophe. "We have quite positive expectations. The size is perhaps a bit smaller, but the quality is good. The sugar content is correct, so the flavor is too."

Hail damage also appears to have had a limited impact on most plots. "There was some hail here and there, but in most cases, only minor damage. That's why the overall quality of the bark is quite good." Regarding shelf life, Christophe remains cautious. "We'll have to wait a bit, but I don't expect any major problems. The firmness is somewhat better than last year."

There is interest in China, but Europe remains the main market. Aside from the European market, VHM Fruit Trade is gradually expanding into more distant export markets, such as China. Two weeks ago, the company attended Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong and, according to Christophe, made some good contacts. "It's a very customer-oriented trade fair. The market is large, but the number of buyers isn't huge, so the playing field is still quite small. We had good meetings with our usual contacts and also established some new relationships."

The Asian market, however, is developing in a deliberately gradual manner. "We are being very cautious. Last year, we ensured we shipped the appropriate qualities and were able to serve our customers well until the end of February, beginning of March. With the first shipments of this season, some logistical problems arose. Certain containers took longer than expected due to delays. We adapted very quickly and acted immediately. Our customers were particularly pleased with our response."

That experience will be taken into account for future exports. The next shipment of pears has already been sent to Asia. "However, we want to thoroughly evaluate the delivery and shelf life of the product before increasing volumes. With such long transit times, we need to be certain that the quality will be maintained." Logistics remains a significant challenge, according to Christophe. "A five-week transit time is already long. If you add a week's delay, the potential impact cannot be underestimated."

Although Christophe sees growth potential in Asia, Europe undoubtedly remains VHM Fruit Trade's primary market. "We've always maintained that more distant markets are a niche for higher-quality products that offer better returns. The risks associated with long transit times are too great to make them our main market. For now, we're not changing our strategy. We hope to continue boosting exports to more distant destinations, but we're very aware that Europe will remain our primary market."