Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Factors of the Pear Production Land in China

China is the world’s largest pear producer, yet its production remains constrained by structural inefficiencies and regional disparities. Clarifying the spatiotemporal evolution of pear production land and its driving mechanisms is essential for improving efficiency and supporting sustainable agricultural development. Using provincial panel data from 29 Chinese regions during 2001–2020, this study analyzes changes in pear yield, planting area, and yield per unit area by integrating the Production Concentration Index, Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis, and Comparative Advantage Analysis. A Spatial Durbin Model is applied to quantify both direct and spatial spillover effects of natural conditions, opportunity costs, infrastructure, technology, market demand, and policy. The results indicate a shift in pear production from area-driven expansion to efficiency-oriented growth, alongside a gradual westward relocation and declining spatial dependence. While core producing regions remain dominant, several western regions have enhanced their comparative advantages. Labor-related factors are crucial: expanding non-agricultural employment opportunities constrain pear production (−0.482), but agricultural mechanization indirectly increases rural labor hiring costs (0.089), whereas agricultural mechanization (0.144) and moderate increases in labor costs (0.126) contribute positively to regional production efficiency. Improved transportation infrastructure, irrigation, fertilizer input, market demand, and policy further promote pear production, with evident spatial spillover effects. These research findings provide empirical support for optimizing regional pear production layouts and formulating applicable policies.