The January 22 edition of the AgNet News Hour tackled a growing concern many California growers know all too well—foreign competition flooding the market during peak domestic seasons. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill focused the conversation on California pears, featuring an interview with Chris Zanobini, Executive Director of the California Pear Advisory Board, who laid out why the state’s pear industry is fighting for survival.
Zanobini explained that California’s pear industry is relatively small, with only about 60 growers remaining—many of them fifth- and sixth-generation family farmers. Pear orchards can remain productive for decades, meaning these farms represent long-term investment and deep roots in rural communities. But now, he says, the industry’s short and carefully managed marketing window is being disrupted by imported pears arriving at the worst possible time.
California pears typically harvest beginning in early July and aim to finish shipping by late October to avoid competing with other domestic pear-growing regions like Oregon and Washington. The problem, Zanobini said, is that Argentine pears are coming into the U.S. in heavy volume during June, July, and even into September, right when California is trying to sell its crop. The result is a market that starts the season already flooded, with retailers delaying California programs by weeks.
One major concern Zanobini highlighted is a product commonly used overseas called 1-MCP, a ripening inhibitor that allows pears to store for an extremely long time, but often prevents them from ripening properly. That can lead to a poor consumer experience—hard, disappointing fruit that hurts pear demand overall. California, he noted, made a commitment years ago not to use 1-MCP because of its impact on eating quality.
The competitive imbalance comes down to cost. Zanobini said California growers face the highest production standards in the world—labor, chemical restrictions, water requirements, and environmental compliance—yet they aren’t paid extra for meeting those standards. Imported pears, meanwhile, can arrive cheaper by $5 to $10 per box, making them attractive to retailers focused on price and margins.
Zanobini also shared a jaw-dropping stat: Argentina imported more than 1.3 million boxes of pears, which exceeded California’s production of Bartlett pears this year—California’s primary variety. He said the industry can’t tolerate that trajectory much longer, and without change, more multi-generation pear farms could disappear.
Papagni and McGill pointed out that this isn’t just a pear problem—it’s a California agriculture problem, impacting everything from citrus to tomatoes to raisins. Their message to listeners was simple: California growers need a fair playing field, and consumers can help by asking for domestic fruit and supporting local farmers when it’s in season.
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