EU pear crop forecast to rise 5.5% to about 2 million tonnes in 2026
WAPA expects EU pear production to increase 5.5% to about 2 million tonnes in 2026, with Poland’s harvest rising 18% year on year. Conference remains the leading variety, while Abate Fetel, Rocha and club varieties are expected to gain volume.
EU output heads toward 2 million tonnes
Pear production in the European Union is forecast to increase by 5.5% in 2026 to approximately 2 million tonnes, according to WAPA estimates reported by SadyOgrody.pl. The expected expansion would lift the volume available to growers, packers and distributors across the bloc after the previous season, although the projected change differs substantially by country and variety.
Poland is set to record one of the strongest national increases. Its pear harvest is expected to rise by 18% year on year. The forecast points to a significant recovery for Polish orchards and a larger domestic crop for packing and wholesale channels. It could also intensify competition among suppliers where Polish fruit overlaps with production from established pear-growing regions elsewhere in the EU.
Conference retains its dominant position
Conference remains the most important pear variety across the EU, including in Polish orchards. Its crop is projected at 900,000 tonnes, with the year-on-year difference limited to 2%, SadyOgrody.pl reported, citing Maliszewski. That means Conference alone would account for roughly 45% of the forecast EU total, underlining its central role in the European pear market.
The stability of Conference contrasts with the larger changes expected in other varieties. For growers and handlers heavily exposed to Conference, the forecast indicates continuity in available volume rather than a sharp supply rebound. Poland’s projected 18% increase therefore suggests that the composition and geographic distribution of growth will matter as much as the headline rise in total EU production.
Southern varieties and club pears gain ground
Abate Fetel, the second key variety and one grown mainly in southern Europe, is forecast to register a 34% production increase. Rocha output is expected to rise by 9% to approximately 138,000 tonnes, with most of that crop concentrated in Portugal. These gains would expand supplies in varietal segments that have a smaller production base than Conference but remain important for growers, retailers and specialist pear programs.
Club varieties are also increasing their share. EU production of newer club pears, including red-skinned types, is forecast to grow by 10% from the previous season. Maliszewski said the trend presents a challenge for Polish orchard operators deciding whether to remain focused exclusively on Conference or follow other EU growers into newer market varieties. The 2026 outlook consequently combines a broadly stable crop for the dominant pear with faster growth in several alternative segments, giving producers and buyers a more varied supply picture than the overall 5.5% increase alone suggests.
