Nashi Pear Season in Australia
Nashi pears are in season in Australia from late February to May, with peak supply in March and April from the Goulburn Valley.
Australian nashi pears are in season from late February to May, with the real peak in March and April. The Goulburn Valley in Victoria leads supply, with Tasmania a little later and the Granite Belt overlapping the middle of the season. Cold-stored Nijisseiki and Shinko extend supermarket availability into June, July, and August, though quality varies. From September to January, fresh local fruit is finished, and any “nashi” or “asian pear” on the shelf is most likely imported Korean Singo or Niitaka.
That is the short answer. The longer one runs week by week below.
Month by month
Late January. The very earliest Hosui from the Goulburn Valley starts to appear in tiny quantities, mostly at packing shed door sales and a small number of greengrocers in Melbourne and Sydney. Supply is minimal and prices are high.
February. Kosui and Hosui kick off in earnest from mid to late February. The first commercial Hosui lines reach Sydney Markets and Brisbane Markets in the second half of the month. This is the start of the season proper. Coles and Woolworths usually have Australian nashi labelled on shelf by late February.
March. Hosui peaks. Skin is full bronze-russet, fruit is heavy and juicy. Nijisseiki begins towards the middle of the month. Late March brings the first Shinseiki. Greengrocers carry the widest mix at this point. Goulburn Valley grower direct is at its best.
April. The middle and arguably best month of the season. Nijisseiki is at peak supply at supermarkets. Shinseiki peaks. Hosui is in its tail. Early Shinko starts to appear. Prices at greengrocers tend to settle into the lower end of their range, often $4 to $6 per kilogram.
May. Shinko peak. Late Nijisseiki carries the supermarket category. Hosui is finished. Quality of fresh fruit is still high but volume drops through the month. By late May the local commercial harvest is largely done.
June to August. Cold-stored fruit only. Nijisseiki and Shinko store well and continue to appear at Coles and Woolworths through winter. Quality is variable. Look closely for shrivelled stem ends and soft spots. Greengrocers thin out their nashi range or drop it.
September to January. Largely off-season for Australian nashi. Imported Korean pears (Singo, Niitaka) fill the gap under “asian pear” or “korean pear” labelling, particularly in the lead-up to Lunar New Year when demand from Asian-Australian shoppers lifts the category.
Variety season calendar
| Variety | Peak window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kosui | February to early March | Early, small, very sweet, greengrocers more than supermarkets |
| Hosui | March (with February start) | Bronze-russet, juicy, mid-season |
| Nijisseiki | April (with March start) | Smooth yellow-green, the supermarket benchmark |
| Shinseiki | April | Pale yellow-green, smooth, mild |
| Shinko | May | Darker russet, firm, late season, stores well |
| Chojuro | March to April | Older variety, butterscotch note, niche |
| Housi | April to May | Newer russet, sweet and juicy |
For more on the look and flavour of each, see nashi pear varieties.
Early season: Hosui and Kosui
Hosui carries the early part of the Australian season. The skin is bronze with even russet. Flesh is sweet, juicy, and slightly aromatic. Hosui from a Goulburn Valley orchard, eaten within a week of picking, is the version of nashi most Australians fall in love with.
Kosui is smaller, very sweet, and earlier still. Commercial volume is limited and Kosui tends to land at farmers markets and dedicated fruit barns rather than supermarkets. Worth seeking out if you can.
Mid season: Nijisseiki and Shinseiki
Nijisseiki is the variety most Australian shoppers will actually recognise. Smooth yellow-green skin (no russet), crisp white flesh, mild sweetness. It is the standard supermarket nashi. Peak supply is April. Nijisseiki also has the longest shelf life of the common Australian varieties, which is why it persists at Coles and Woolworths through cold storage into winter.
Shinseiki is similar in look but a touch smoother and a touch milder. Peaks in April. Less commonly labelled by name at retail.
See the Nijisseiki nashi pear profile for variety details.
Late season: Shinko
Shinko is the late-season variety. Skin is a darker, almost cinnamon russet. The flesh is firm and the fruit stores well, which is why Shinko (alongside Nijisseiki) carries the cold-stored supermarket category into winter.
By region
Goulburn Valley, Victoria. The dominant Australian growing region. Shepparton, Ardmona, Mooroopna, and Tatura between them account for most of the national crop. Goulburn Valley fruit starts the season and carries the peak.
Tasmania. The Huon Valley and Tamar Valley sit slightly later, with the cooler climate producing fruit with crisp texture and good acid balance. Tasmanian nashi tend to appear from late March into May.
Granite Belt, Queensland. Stanthorpe and Applethorpe orchards sit at altitude and fruit a bit later in the season, overlapping the Goulburn Valley peak through April.
Apple and Pear Australia (apal.org.au) publishes industry data on pear and nashi production by region. Both Sydney Markets (sydneymarkets.com.au) and Brisbane Markets (brisbanemarkets.com.au) publish weekly wholesale reports useful for tracking supply through the season.
When the season ends
The fresh commercial harvest finishes through May. From June onwards anything labelled “Australian nashi” at retail is cold-stored fruit, primarily Nijisseiki or Shinko. By August, even cold-stored supply is thin. From September the category shifts to imports.
Off season
From spring through to mid-summer, Australian nashi are not in fresh local supply. Imported Korean pears (Singo, Niitaka) fill the shelf in supermarkets and Asian grocers, generally labelled “asian pear” or “korean pear”. The fruit is similar in flavour and texture but tends to be much larger, with paler skin and a softer russet.