California FOCUS

California’s tree fruit industry, like other growing regions, has experienced a multitude of challenges in recent years, including smaller crops caused by wet weather and low chilling hours, labor shortages, declining grower returns, and rising production costs. The industry has also gone through significant change in recent years, including: Acreage—Following years of disappointing returns, many tree fruit orchards have been removed or replanted to what are hoped to be more profitable crops. Bearing acreage survey statistics gathered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2001 to 2005 show a 14 percent decline in apples, 19 percent decrease in apricots, 13 […]