France’s pear production to decline by 9% due to heatwaves and spring frosts

Pear production in France is expected to decline by 9% in 2026 compared with the previous season, reaching 144 thsd tons. However, this would still be 11% above the 2021–2025 average, according to the October forecast from the French agricultural statistics service Agreste. The higher-than-average production level is mainly attributed to young orchards planted in recent years entering their productive stage. The country’s total pear cultivation area remains virtually unchanged at 6.17 thsd ha.

The main factors behind the production decline are summer heatwaves, spring frosts and natural fluctuations in yields following the strong 2025 harvest. Prolonged periods of high temperatures slowed fruit development across most growing regions, resulting in smaller pears. In Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France’s largest pear-producing region, accounting for around 40% of the country’s production potential, output is expected to decline by 8% to 52.1 thsd tons. Some of the crop may be redirected from the fresh market to industrial processing because of insufficient fruit size.

The sharpest production decline is forecast in Centre-Val de Loire, where the harvest could fall by 21%. Repeated heatwaves left a significant proportion of pears, particularly the Conference variety, undersized, making harvesting some fruit economically unviable. In Occitanie, production may decrease by 13% due to the combined effects of heat and drought, which irrigation could not fully offset. Output in Pays de la Loire is expected to decline by 4%, while the Rhône Valley may see a decrease of just 1%.

By variety, production of Jules Guyot pears is estimated at 24.1 thsd tons, while Williams pears are expected to reach 47.2 thsd tons. Autumn pear varieties could account for 53.9 thsd tons, with winter varieties contributing another 13.3 thsd tons. Despite the overall production decline, the harvest in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is expected to remain 11% above its five-year average, supported by a 5% expansion in orchard area. Meanwhile, high temperatures have particularly affected summer pear varieties, reducing the proportion of fruit suitable for sale on the fresh market.

Market conditions remained subdued at the beginning of the season. In September, producer prices for summer pears were 1% lower than a year earlier, although they remained 6% above the five-year average. Demand was weaker than during the same period in 2025 despite limited supply. Persistently warm weather encouraged consumers to continue choosing summer fruits and grapes, slowing the recovery in pear sales. As a result, lower production has not yet translated into higher prices on the French market.

Tags: weather conditions, France, pears