Ulju-gun expects bumper pear harvest this year

Ulju-gun in Ulsan is expecting a bumper harvest of its signature Ulju pears this year, a sharp turnaround from last year when an unseasonable cold snap hurt yields.

According to Ulju-gun, 1,010 pear farms across the county have produced 8,589 tons of pears from a combined cultivation area of 369 hectares.

The county said stable weather conditions from the early growing season — unlike last year — led to healthy tree growth, good fruit set and strong overall fruit quality.

"This summer's drought is expected to make the fruit slightly smaller than usual, but the overall fruit set has been generally favorable, so total output is projected to rise about 10 percent above the average year," a county official said.

Ulju pears are prized for their high sugar content, abundant juice and refreshing flavor. The early-ripening Wonhwang variety made its first US export shipment of the year on Aug. 18.

A total of 272 tons of Ulju pears worth 1.4 billion won ($1.01 million) are set to be exported to the United States by year's end. Including pears grown in orchards in Ulsan's Jung-gu, the total US-bound volume is expected to reach around 400 tons.