Pear fruits are an important source of nutrition and fibre with diverse forms: culinary, dessert, juice, and perry. Existing supermarket and wholesale supply chains rely almost entirely on imports of three varieties: Conference, Rocca, and Comice du Doyenne. It is forgotten that Scotland once had extensive local pear orchards supplying nearby towns and cities and sometimes markets in England. Pear growing centred in the Carse of Gowrie, Jedburgh, and other micro-climates with a range of indigenous and heritage varieties.

Social Juice will work with community groups and other stakeholders in Perth and Kinross to increase their knowledge about pears growing in Scotland and better understand how indigenous varieties and a resurgence in local pear orchards can improve the diet of Scots, reduce food miles, address food quality and scarcity, increase biodiversity, and support regenerative agriculture and sustainable production.

The knowledge gained will be centralised along with existing sources to create a resource for communities and food growers wishing to increase local fruit production and develop a plan to increase the growing and consumption of locally grown Scottish pears in practice.

Neil Clapperton, Director at Social Juice, said, “On behalf of Social Juice and its partners, thank you RSE and the Williamson Trust for your support for our Scottish Pear project. This community research is just in time to save many indigenous varieties and abandoned pear orchards and explore how to revitalise local growing and community use before our veteran trees are lost. Pears are superfoods and the diversity of native fruit combined with the stories communities can share will be inspiring. It wouldn’t be happening without the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Community-Led Award and the generosity and interest of the funders.”