With the purchase of the Stadelman Fruit operations in Odell, Ore., earlier this summer, Yakima-based Washington Fruit Growers expects its total pear volume to be up 25%, says Steve Smith.

The company has updated its facility and packinghouse in Peru, with new grading lines and sorting equipment that will enhance product quality and allow for a more efficient final repack in Georgia.

The 2022 Northwest fresh pear crop estimate is 16.2 million standard box equivalents, close to the five-year average, according to the Pear Bureau Northwest.

For the first time, retailers saw growth this season in single rather than double digits in the easy-peeler category, so the commodity could be stabilizing.

The Washington Apple Commission, Wenatchee, has elected new leadership.

Vidalia onion grower-shipper Bland Farms, Glennville, Ga., has been recognized for its export business by the state of Georgia — but not for what you think.