Field to Market

December 19, 2014 by USA Pears

Harvest – Harvest of USA Pears begins in August with Bartletts and continues through September and October with winter varieties. Pears are harvested when the fruit is fully mature, but not yet ripe. This keeps the fruit’s flavor at a peak and stops the soft flesh from becoming gritty with deposits of lignin and other organic compounds. Pickers carefully harvest every pear by hand, and place them into special orchard bins to prevent bruising.

Packing – Once filled, the orchard bins are delivered to the packing houses and immediately cooled. This helps pears ripen consistently after consumer purchase. Once the pears reach the proper reduced core temperature, they are transported by water (to prevent bruising) to be sorted and separated by size and grade before being hand-packed.

Shipping – After being packed, USA Pears are stored in special storage rooms until sold. USA Pears are delivered by truck or rail to markets in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. A large percentage of the crop is also shipped overseas, where USA Pears are highly regarded for their superior taste and quality. About 35% of the total USA Pear crop is exported each season.