Sharing the best in European pear production with Australian pear growers

July 2016 | Presented by Anton Jongerius, Fruitconsult | Future Orchards® Pear Masterclass

Anton Jongerius brings European pear-production experience to Australian growers, using commercial examples to examine the management practices behind productive, high-quality pear orchards. The presentation covers the interaction between variety, rootstock, planting system and orchard management rather than treating any one factor in isolation.

European pear systems often place strong emphasis on controlling vigour, creating efficient fruiting wood and building canopies that can carry regular crops while remaining accessible for pruning, thinning and harvest. The session helps Australian growers compare those approaches with local systems and consider where changes in density, training or crop management could improve performance.

A recurring lesson is that profitable production depends on consistency. High yield in one year is less valuable if it is followed by weak return bloom, poor fruit size or excessive vegetative growth. Orchard structure and crop-load management therefore need to support repeatable annual production of marketable fruit.

The presentation and video work together as a practical benchmarking resource. They give growers a view of established European pear practice while leaving room to adapt recommendations to Australian climate, soils, labour costs, markets and available rootstocks.