No longer are growers optimistic about the future, Ferriera said. Many aren't even looking to next year. They are hoping the U.S. Department of Agriculture will buy a significant portion of this year's crop, providing one last harvest check. Ferriera expects the USDA to decide this week. Growers get some money for their crop, which supports the local economy, and hungry people across the country have nutritious apricots to eat.
Apricots certainly qualify for that.
Much of the canned fruit the USDA buys is used in the school lunch program, which feeds 27 million children each day. The processors are pulling back on apricots. They're packing only what apricots they can sell right now. California expects to produce about 90,000 tons of apricots this year, but only two-thirds of the crop has a buyer. Whatever the USDA doesn't buy will likely rot.