Opera is the biggest Consortium of made up exclusively Italian Fruit Growers specialized in the cultivation of pears.

Pear wholesale prices

Pear fresh-market quotation

Pear prices in packing houses/processing plants

The pear is the fruit of the pear tree, whose scientific name is Pyrus communis: pears belong to the Rosaceae family. This type of fresh fruit can have different shapes and sizes, taste and colour, depending on the pear varieties grown. There are more than 5000 different varieties of pears worldwide, almost all of which are produced and sold in the fruit and vegetable market. The pear is prized for its flavour and juiciness: its skin can vary in colour, from green to yellow, red and even brown, depending on the type of pears produced and sold in the fruit and vegetable market. The pear is formed by the mesocarp or flesh, which can be crumbly, grainy or buttery, and can sometimes contain sclereids, in other words stone cells that give the pear its grainy texture. The flesh of the pear surrounds a central part, called the endocarp (or core), formed by five cartilaginous fruiting bodies that contain 1-2 seeds. The edible part of the pear includes, as well as the flesh of the pear, its skin after thorough washing.This fruit and vegetable product is actually a seed, i.e. a false fruit: the pear is a type of fresh fruit that belongs to a very large botanical category that, in addition to pears, also includes apples, quince and the nonpears (called Pomaceae). The distinguishing feature of the true pear fruit is that it is the result of the fertilisation of the flowers; therefore, in a pear, the 'fruit' should be the central part (the core), the part that comes from fertilisation, and not the floral receptacle that grows around it (the flesh of the pear): the main body of the pear, the one that we usually think of as the edible part and that we usually eat, is in fact not the true pear fruit. Pears, which contain around 30-35 calories per 100 g, are considered a kind of low-calorie fresh fruit: in fact, the pear is made up of 84% water; the pear is rich in simple sugars (such as fructose), which can help the body when we feel tired, in vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6, vitamin C, D, K and J) and in mineral salts (potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, fluorine, calcium and minimal zinc and copper content). In addition to these important nutrients, the pear is also rich in fibre (about 16% of the daily requirement of just one pear) and substances with antioxidant properties. This fresh fruit has a laxative and diuretic effect and, thanks to its digestive properties, is considered very suitable for children and the elderly in the diet.
In addition, the predominance of potassium makes the pear suitable for low-salt diets, and it is also suitable for the prevention of pneumonia and hypertension. It is important to handle pears with care, as they bruise very easily; pears store very well in the refrigerator and ripen better once harvested. During ripening, the pear produces ethylene, a natural gas that is a hormone useful for ripening.
In order to speed up the ripening of pears, it is therefore enough to put the fruit in a paper bag for a few days: the paper, by keeping the moisture produced by the pear during ripening, prevents it from wilting; so in a short time the pears will be ready to eat. The pear can be considered as a variety of fresh fruit for drying. In fact, as well as eaten fresh, the pear can be used in fruit salads, to prepare cakes, to make jams and fruit juices, cooked in wine or to prepare pears in syrup.It is very popular to combine pears with cheese, especially for cheeses with a strong flavour such as pecorino, parmesan (a typical Italian mature cheese) or other sharp cheeses. Pears are becoming increasingly important all over the world: nowadays there are many pear companies, certified pear companies, pear producers, organic pear companies, pear traders, pear sellers, pear importers, pear exporters and pear wholesalers.