Pear - Fruits 

Description

The pear is a sweet-tasting pip fruit of which there are two thousand varieties, and is the fifth most consumed fruit in France.

Origins

It comes from the Pear tree, native to central Asia, cultivated in China for 6.000 years. There are two types of pears, in China it is the Pyrus sinensis tree, and in the rest of the world it is the Pyrus communis. These trees belong to the Rosaceae family, the subfamily of Maloideae.

Characteristics

It has an elongated basal portion and a bulbous end., weighing about 120 gr. (standard pear for commercial sale) and its colour varies from black, like the Worcester pear, to green, yellow and orange for the others. It is usually consumed when it is ripe, raw, cooked or dried, as well as natural juice or in the form of fermented cider.

Other Facts

The existence of the pear spread widely in Europe under the Roman Empire, and was not found in North America until much later thanks to the arrival of the first immigrants in the 16th century, carrying with it the seeds of the Bartlett varieties and Anjou. According to French tradition, it is said that the sovereigns who are crowned in the Cathedral of Reims receive as a gift a glass of champagne and a pear. King Carlos X tasted one of these fruits during his coronation in 1825 while the mayor of the city told him "We offer you the best, our wines, our pears and our hearts."

Production

The pear has expanded worldwide, placing it at the centre of a flourishing world market with an annual global production of almost 23 million tons. The main world producer of this fruit is China, harvesting 16 million tons per year, followed by the United States with 1,200,000 tons, then Italy with 800,000 tons and Spain with 780,000 tons. The current pear production in Europe is estimated at 2,450,000 tons. In France, it is grown in central areas such as Rhône-Alpes and in the Maritime Alps, obtaining a total annual harvest of 112,000 tons.