Article 27420 of rec.gardens:
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From: bmoon@eis.calstate.edu (Bruce A. Moon)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: Old Oranges??
Date: 4 Mar 1994 20:47:30 -0800
Organization: California Technology Project of The Calif State Univ
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	In December, the Northern California chapters of the California 
Rare Fruit Growers met at Lindcove, the University of California's 
Central Valley citrus research facility. We tasted Mandarins, Navels, 
grapefruits and other in season fruit as well as listening  to a lecture 
on Mandarins grown in Spain being considered for growth in California 
(Louise travels the world to find new varieties for growth in 
California. From her lecture, the packing industry's concerns center 
around seediness and time of ripening. Consumers have demonstrated a 
reluctance to buy fruit with seeds (Some of my favorites have seeds, but 
I don't make marketing decisions). Ripening is important to packing 
houses because they don't want to add extra lines. They are looking for 
fruit that will ripen during off times so they can use unused capacity. 
They alos like fruit that ripens when the prices are high. 
	Other concerns are such factors as retaining stems and uniform size. 
They don't want stems staying on that poke holes in other fruit. They 
also want a uniform size since they sell fruit by the count box -and want 
to minimize sorting.
	I don't think there is any intentional conspiracy to sell lousy tasting 
oranges. given the restraints of the industry, I think growers will sell 
what their market will buy. What makes it to the local produce market may 
not necessarily be the best that is out there. I spoke with a grower of 
pears, plums and apples. He ships to specialty markets in Boston and to 
Japan, even though he lives here in the Sierra Foothills. The same is 
true in citrus; restaurants, specialty markets, fruit of the month clubs, 
etc. provide a better return for the farmer who is trying to mzximize his 
return.
- Bruce Moon 
Rio Linda, CA


