A California farmer’s plan to hand out a massive amount of free fruit was halted after thousands of people descended on his orchard, turning a bitter crop dispute into a public spectacle.
Cesar Mora, a Central Valley grower from Reedley, said he could not stand by and watch another harvest spoil on the trees. In response, he announced he would give away 125,000 pounds of nectarines at no cost.
Mora says the agriculture company Giumarra has prevented him from packing or selling the stone fruit as part of an ongoing fight over ownership of the crop. He maintains that he has personally grown the nectarines for the past 10 years.
The giveaway quickly drew overwhelming attention Tuesday, with long lines of vehicles forming near the farm. The California Highway Patrol temporarily shut down the event over safety concerns, KMPH reported.
After the story gained wider attention, Mora said he received two letters. One, he said, was a cease-and-desist from Guimarra “demanding that I stop this giveaway.”
“What gives them the right? What gives them the authority? What gives them the power? Who says they are kings other than them?” Mora said in an impassioned TikTok message.
“I didn’t crown them and I don’t bow the knee to them either. I won’t bow to a false king.”
Mora said the second letter was a “preservation of rights” notice, demanding that he provide a complete accounting of every pound of fruit given away.
Mora thanked the community and those who drove hours to come and get his crop. “I appreciate all the smiles and just all the good vibes,” he said. “So, thank you.”
The legal case has been working its way through the courts since 2023.
“Giumarra claims ownership of the variety of fruit Cesar grows and has sued him for breach of contract,” according to a GoFundMe for Mora. Cesar disputes both their ownership claim and the validity of the contract, and is fighting back by suing Giumarra for fraud and misrepresentation.
The farmer previously announced he was giving away the fruit from June 29 to July 3, saying he would rather hand out the sweet fruit instead of seeing it go to waste for a second year in a row.
“It’s unfortunate to see such nice fruit go to waste but, when corporations have licensing rights to varieties, this supposedly is someone else’s property,” Mora said in a post on TikTok, calling it a “total loss.”
