The agricultural sector in Bierzo (León) has begun harvesting Conference pears this week,…

The agricultural sector in Bierzo (León) has begun harvesting Conference pears this week, anticipating a 30% drop from last year's 14.5 million kilograms. Pablo Linares, technical director of the Berciana Association of Farmers and manager of Alimentos de Calidad del Bierzo, attributes this decline to the erratic weather in May, which included heavy rains and temperatures exceeding 30 degrees, impacting fruit set. In contrast, apple harvesting will start in early September, with expectations for normal production and high quality due to avoiding the recent weather instability. To support fieldwork, around 1,500 temporary contracts are planned, with a notable increase in foreign workers.