Bumper year anticipated in 2026 for the pear crop in Jumilla

The high-quality pears grown in Jumilla have been awarded Denomination of Protected Origin status

The town of Jumilla in northern Murcia is best-known for the excellent wines produced in and around the municipality and for the charming splendour of the old buildings in the centre of town, but many forget that it is also proud of another local product which has been awarded Denomination of Protected origin status: pears.

The Ercolini pears cultivated in Jumilla are especially sweet and tend to be somewhere between light green and yellow in colour, with white flesh and an excellent taste. As part of the DOP protected origin regulations strict quality checks are in place, and this week Mayoress Seve González and Councillor Antonio Pérez welcomed a visit from Joaquín Buendía, the minister for Water, Agriculture, Farming and Fishing to see how well the sector is recovering in the company of local farmers.

Unfortunately, the 2025 harvest was decimated by hailstorms during the spring and production was well down on the usual annual figure, but despite climate change the weather this year has been more favourable. With picking season now under way, it is anticipated that the crop yield for 2026 will be 59 per cent higher (or 66.8 per cent according to a regional government press release) than last year at around 23,000 tons. This is the total estimated by around 100 local growers and traders affiliated to the DOP organization, who manage 250 hectares of crops with a growing export market especially in Germany, Italy and Portugal.

These exports are expected to bring in total revenue of some two million euros, illustrating the considerable importance that pears have to the economy of Jumilla.

There are, though, challenges ahead in the future. One of them, as is always the case for fruit and vegetable growers in the Region of Murcia, guaranteeing an adequate water supply. At the same time as addressing this, efforts are being made to adapt to the demands of sustainable, ecological principles while maintaining the competitive edge which resulted in the DOP status being so richly deserved!

Images: Ayto Jumilla / CARM

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