CANNED PEARS PRODUCTION

While traces of pears have been found in prehistoric areas in Switzerland, the modern(-ish) history of pears begins 7,000 years ago with a Chinese diplomat named Feng Li. After becoming obsessed with pears he devoted his life to cultivating, grafting, and spreading his favorite fruit as far as possible. By the time the Greek poet Homer wrote The Odyssey, he referred to them as a “gift of the gods.” Roman farmers documented their extensive growing and grafting techniques, while also hoping to appeal to the revered goddess of fruit, Pomona. This may explain why pears are part of the pome fruit family!
Much like the same fruit grown today, pears were valued for their versatility and long storage life—as well as for their beauty: paintings of pairs were found in the ruins of Pompeii, sixth-century church mosaics in Jordan, and renaissance paintings like Giovanni Bellini’s “Madonna of the Pear.”
Source: usapears.org