U.S. pear growers in the Northwest are expected to harvest 20.5 million boxes of fruit this autumn, putting it 2% under last season's crop but the same number of percentage points above the five-year average. 

Website Goodfruit.com reported the harvest of Bartlett pears should begin in early August in Washington, about a week ahead of last year.

The publication said the figures were presented during the annual meeting of the Pear Bureau Northwest in the state of Oregon last week.

The Bureau's president Kevin Moffitt reportedly said this was the first time in 15 years that the crop had dropped in two successive seasons, with growers having harvested a record 21.6 million boxes two years ago.

Volumes are said to typically go up one year and down the next.

Northwest pear production has been stable and manageable in recent years, resulting in good returns for growers, according to Goodfruit.com.

“I see this year’s crop continuing that trend," Moffitt was quoted as saying.

The story said the total winter pear crop, which is primarily made up of the d’Anjou, Bosc, and Comice varieties, was forecast at 15.6 million boxes.

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