CA farmer says he won’t be silenced in battle with major fruit company

A Reedley nectarine grower who is locked in a legal battle with one of the state’s largest fruit companies won a small victory in court Thursday when a judge ruled against the company’s attempts to split the case into two parts.

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For more than three years, tree fruit farmer Cesar Mora has been involved in litigation with Giumarra Brothers Fruit Co. over who controls 7.5 acres of specialty nectarines.

A jury trial was expected to start on July 20, but the judge in the case, Steven Crass, had to resolve more than a dozen motions, including one to bifurcate, or separate, the case into two parts.

Lawyers for Giamarra wanted the judge, rather than a jury, to decide whether Mora violated his contract with them to sell their fruit. If a judge found that Mora broke his agreement with the company, then a jury trial on the other issues of fraudulent misrepresentation, unfair business practices and breach of fiduciary duty may not be necessary, Mora said.

Mora was relieved the judge rule against Giumarra’s motion.

“I felt like they wanted to silence me,” Mora said after the hearing. “If the judge had granted their motions, there’s really nothing for any of us to be doing here — this case is already over.“

Headquartered in Los Angeles, Giumarra sued Mora for breach of contract after he sent his fruit to a rival company. Mora signed a licensing agreement in 2017 to grow a special, white-flesh nectarine called the Monalise, a proprietary piece of fruit that Giumarra made available to select growers.

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Mora filed a cross-complaint against Giumarra alleging he was deceived by the company and its representatives into signing a contract that made false claims about the fruit, including that it was patented by Giumarra.

As part of the effort to stop Mora from sending his nectarines to be packed elsewhere, he alleges the company blacklisted him so no other packing house in the industry would touch his fruit.

Without a home for his 7.5 acres of nectarines, Mora turned to social media to donate the fruit to the community and nonprofit groups that work with people in need.

He also launched a GoFundMe that has raised $50,000 to pay for his legal fees.

Mora estimates he lost an estimated $600,000 worth of fruit by not being able to sell it.

The trial is expected to begin by the middle of next week.

This story was originally published July 24, 2026 at 1:42 PM with the headline “CA farmer says he won’t be silenced in battle with major fruit company.”

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