California farmer who sparked frenzied crowds with free nectarine stunt ordered to destroy fruit trees

A California farmer who made national headlines when he gave away thousands of nectarines for free lost his case over ownership of his nectarine crop in Fresno County Superior Court.

The farmer Cesar Mora from Reedley was ordered to destroy his trees last week, and on Thursday, his weekslong trial with Giumarra Brothers Fruit Company in Southern California ended.

Mora claimed agriculture giant Giumarra has blocked him from packing or selling the stone fruit amid a dispute over ownership, despite his insistence that he’d personally grown the crop for the past decade.

The legal case had been working its way through the courts since 2023.

“Giumarra claims ownership of the variety of fruit Cesar grows and has sued him for breach of contract,” according to a GoFundMe for Mora. Mora disputes both the company’s ownership claim and the validity of the contract, and is fighting back by suing Giumarra for fraud and misrepresentation.

A jury deliberated for three hours before getting back with a verdict, rejecting Mora’s claims that Giumarra didn’t make good on promises to him in exchange for growing its white nectarines.

Meanwhile, the produce company argued that Mora violated an agreement they had by selling fruit to another supplier.

Ultimately, the jury decided Mora did go against his contract, but also determined that he shouldn’t have to pay anything to Giumarra Brothers.

“I’m done. I mean, they came knocking on my door,” Mora told ABC30 Action News. “So, how can I have a company that’s going out and trying to find small growers to sign them up for programs like this where all they do is harm me? They didn’t do many any favors. They didn’t do me any good.”

Mora’s lawyers told the TV station they will appeal. Mora was given until the end of October to destroy his nectarine trees.

Mora’s giveaway drew massive crowds, leading to a temporary shutdown by the California Highway Patrol for safety concerns as lines of cars piled up trying to get to the farm, KMPH reported.

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