Here comes Erin! February 2017 Issue

Matsudo City is passionate about its pear orchards. A locally grown pear is hard to beat, particularly when you picked it yourself and it is the same size as your head! While the pear-picking season is still months away, Matsudo City is currently preparing to send several Japanese pear saplings to the Dominican Republic for cultivation in the central region of La Vega. These will be the DR’s first Japanese pear trees.

This pear-exchange project was made official when Director General of the Dominican Agrarian Institute Mr. Emilio Toribio (pictured below) visited Matsudo in mid-November. He met with local leaders, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, and even tried planting a pear tree for himself. It was agreed that the ideal time to begin the project would be while the pear trees are ‘sleeping’ during the colder weather - the time has arrived!

We are excited to share Matsudo’s passion for pears with our Caribbean friends. More information about Mr Toribio's visit (and photos) can be found here. For a full overview of Matsudo’s engagement with the DR, visit the ‘Dominican Republic collaboration’ section of this webpage.