A Central Valley farmer in California is offering more than 125,000 pounds of nectarines free to the public as a dispute over who owns the crop continues to unfold.
Cesar Mora, a farmer in Reedley roughly 30 miles from Fresno, said he could no longer stand by as fruit withered on the branches and fell to the ground. Rather than lose another season’s harvest, he chose to give the nectarines away.
Mora said the agricultural company Giumarra has blocked him from taking action with the stone fruit — including packing or selling it — because of a conflict “over the ownership” of the nectarine crop, which he says he has personally cultivated for the past decade.
“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 TikTok post, describing the situation as a “total loss.”
“I grew it, planted it. I’ve worked for the last eight years to be able to get this fruit. And now watching it fall on the floor. Just standing here quietly listening to the drop, it’s frustrating.”
Mora later announced that the nectarines would be available for free from June 29 through July 3, saying he preferred to share the sweet fruit with the community rather than watch it spoil for a second straight year.
“Nectarines will be in bins ready to go. Please fill your bag and let others have an opportunity to pull from the bins. Bring a bag! One bag per person. Thank you for helping us!” a follow-up post said.
Photos and videos from the giveaway indicate the effort has drawn a strong response, with hundreds of people arriving each day to fill bags with fruit and bring the nectarines home.
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“We drove all the way from Bakersfield just to make sure to come and get some,” Gina Ramirez told KMPH.
“It’s sad to know that it’s a small farmer, and it seems like big companies want to get rid of small farmers.”
The legal case has been working its way through the courts since 2023.
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“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.”
In a post on Tuesday, Mora announced the giveaway would continue, sharing that he estimates there’s still another 20-30 pounds of the nectarine crop left on his farm.
“Thank you to everyone who came out today! We are so grateful for the love and support. We were not expecting this kind of turnout and we appreciate your patience as we get organized.”
