2017 CALIFORNIA PRUNE HARVEST RETURNS TO TYPICAL LEVELS FOLLOWING WEATHER-CHALLENGED YIELD OF 2016

Sacramento, CA (September 19, 2017) – The 2017 California prune harvest is projected to reach 105,000 tons (95,254 metric tonnes), according to forecasts by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The projected harvest will yield a 99-percent increase over the unusually light 2016 harvest of 52,851 tons (47,946 metric tonnes). USDA and NASS estimates are based on surveys among California prune growers. “California prunes consistently represent the world’s finest quality fruit,” said Donn Zea, Executive Director, California Dried Plum Board. “This year, the industry is returning to a normal size harvest that will help meet consumer and trade demand.” The 2017 harvest started slightly later than usual and will likely conclude by mid-September. Zea adds that growers are reporting healthy trees that have rebounded from the weather-related challenges of recent years. “We are on track for a good year for California prunes,” said John Taylor, Vice President/Owner, Taylor Brothers Farms. “We are seeing strong, highly productive orchards and delicious, premium caliber fruit that sets the global gold standard for prunes.” California is the world’s largest producer of prunes providing approximately 40 percent of the world’s supply and almost all of the U.S. supply. The French prune variety accounts for virtually all of the dried plum acreage grown in California. For more information about California prunes, please visit www.CaliforniaDriedPlums.org.