A Fresno County Superior Court judge has ordered Reedley farmer Cesar Mora to remove his nectarine trees, escalating a legal dispute with Giumarra Brothers Fruit Co. over an exclusive specialty fruit contract, according to reporting by The Fresno Bee.
Mora drew regional attention in July when he launched a “No Nectarines Wasted” social media campaign, giving away thousands of pounds of fruit while his contract dispute with Giumarra played out in court. The company sued Mora over an agreement to process and sell the fruit, and successfully argued that the contract required tree removal once terminated.
Mora’s attorneys have filed an emergency motion to halt the removal while they pursue an appeal, arguing the mature trees can’t be replaced if destroyed before higher courts can weigh in. A separate jury trial is underway on Mora’s cross-complaint, in which he alleges Giumarra misled him about incentive payments and exclusivity terms when he signed on to grow the fruit in 2017.
The trial continues this week in Fresno County Superior Court.
