Despite the challenges in the Portuguese pear yield this season, the orchards of Central Frutas Painho have not been affected as much, says Carlos Miguel Henriques, administrator of the Portuguese pear exporter: "So far the campaign is going very well, we will have sufficient fruit to satisfy our customers' requests on a regular basis until April/May, to further consolidate the markets in which we are present. The 2024/2025 campaign was once again just about 50 per cent of the maximum production potential, due to problems in the field. Fortunately, our orchards have not been as badly affected as the rest of the sector, which is to our advantage this season, as well as that of our customers."
Although CF Painho usually focuses its exports overseas, Henriques believes that the European market will have a special focus for the company this season. "For us, all of the markets are important. Our sales are very much focused on the domestic market, but we have a strong operation in both North and South America. This year, we have a profile of pears that is in line to the specifications of the European market and will try to consolidate this market. As a result, Spain, France and Germany are our big bets this season."
According to Henriques, the Rocha pear is still growing in new markets, such as Libya: "The Rocha pear already has its place in the market, but even so, it continues to conquer new markets. An example of this is the Libyan market, which is growing year after year. It's a pear with very good characteristics, both in terms of taste and shelf life. Despite all the difficulties that the pear sector is experiencing, Painho Fruit Center continues to have partners with new plantations of Rocha pears, that are helping to overcome production shortfalls."
"The prices are in line with the quantity of pears available this season, as we know, it's demand versus supply that will influence the price. But we believe that more than price, the important thing is to have a quality, certified product that satisfies the end customer, and we believe that Pera Rocha has these characteristics. We expect this to be a normal campaign, given the number of pears available. The rate of sales is steady and we expect this rate to increase with the appearance of some new customers," Henriques concludes.
For more information:
Carlos Miguel Henriques
Central Frutas Painho
Tel: +351 968 562 490
Email: [email protected]
www.cfpainho.com