In this installment of the ‘Agronometrics In Charts’ series, we take a look at the Pacific Northwest pear season. Each week, the series looks at a different horticultural commodity, focusing on a specific origin or topic, visualizing the market factors that are driving change.

After a rough 2024 season that left shelves light and growers frustrated, pear producers in the Pacific Northwest are preparing for a strong comeback. With favorable spring weather and a healthy bloom, the region is poised for one of its best harvests in recent years. In 2024, growers across Washington and Oregon struggled with late frost and uneven pollination, which led to a significantly smaller crop, particularly for Bartlett and Bosc varieties. The impact was felt both at home and abroad, with some packing houses reporting yields down more than 30%. This year, the outlook is much brighter.

“We had a near-ideal spring. Bud set was strong, frost was minimal, and we’re seeing solid sizing across most blocks,” said a Wenatchee-based grower. “It’s a welcome turnaround.” Early field estimates suggest that the 2025 crop could exceed 400,000 tons, a return to pre-2022 volumes. Retailers have responded quickly to the improved forecast. Regional marketing organizations are working with domestic grocery chains to roll out pear promotions as early as August. Exporters are also eager to regain ground lost in 2024, particularly in Canada and Mexico, where supply gaps opened the door for European and South American competitors.

With pricing expected to stabilize, the U.S. pear industry sees this season as a key moment to reassert itself. This year’s recovery isn’t just about weather. Investments in orchard renewal, new cold storage facilities, and improved harvest logistics are helping growers move fruit more efficiently. Several producers are also participating in USDA conservation programs aimed at improving soil health and runoff control, efforts that may pay dividends in both quality and sustainability.

After one of the smallest harvests in a decade, Pacific Northwest pear growers are back on solid footing. Barring any major summer weather events, consumers can expect more consistent pear availability this fall, and the industry is counting on it. “We need this win,” said a Hood River orchard manager. “It’s not just about volume, it’s about showing the market we’re still here and still reliable.”

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.

(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

In our ‘In Charts’ series, we work to tell some of the stories that are moving the industry. Feel free to take a look at the other articles by clicking here.

All pricing for domestic US produce represents the spot market at Shipping Point (i.e. packing house/climate controlled warehouse, etc.). For imported fruit, the pricing data represents the spot market at Port of Entry. You can keep track of the markets daily through Agronometrics, a data visualization tool built to help the industry make sense of the huge amounts of data that professionals need to access to make informed decisions. If you found the information and the charts from this article useful, feel free to visit us at www.agronometrics.com where you can easily access these same graphs, or explore the other 21 commodities we currently track.