ULSAN — Pear farming in Ulju County, Ulsan, is expected to see a bumper year thanks to stable weather conditions, a turnaround from last year's poor results caused by low-temperature damage in the spring.
Ulju County said on the 21st that pear growing conditions in the area were running above normal levels and that total output was estimated to rise about 10% from an average year.
Relatively mild and stable weather from early in the growing season left pear trees in good condition and produced strong fruit set. Fruit size is expected to be somewhat smaller than in a typical year because of the drought that persisted through the summer, but heavy fruit set and strong overall sugar content and quality drove the increase in total output.
That contrasts with last year, when output fell sharply due to extreme weather. Pear farmers in Ulju County were hit hard as unseasonably low temperatures around the flowering period caused frost damage to flower buds and young fruit. Pears produced that year by 1,010 farms in the county, covering 369 hectares of cultivated land, totaled just 8,589 metric tons, below the level of an average year.
With growing conditions recovering from the climate instability, Ulju County said it plans to maintain the quality and competitiveness of Ulju pears, a signature local specialty product.
"Farmers faced considerable difficulties because of the drought this summer, but fortunately fruit set and growth were good, so we expect a bumper harvest," an Ulju County official said. "We will continue to do our best to support farmers so that Ulju pears maintain high quality and stable production."
