Californian growers hold out for an increase in production: Chinese markets can expect to have ample supplies of Californian white-flesh peaches and nectarines, as well as plums, for their early summer festivals this year

摘要

THE California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA) issued its initial stonef ruit production estimate in early May, predicting a total of 50.5m cartons for the coming season - comprising 20.2m cartons of peaches, 11.3m of plums and 19m of nectarines - a 6.3 per cent increase over 2006. Only a few seasons ago, such an increase in volume might have caused concern among the state's growers, fearing lower returns for their fruit. However, following 2006's pack-out of only 47.5m cartons, the lowest California total for stonefruit in more than a decade, growers are not especially anxious about overproduction this season.