California farmer and food marketer spar over who can sell white nectarines

California’s white nectarine dispute has drawn crowds to Cesar Mora’s farm in central California this week, where he has been giving away free fruit while a court battle plays out. Mora says he has shared more than 100,000 pounds (45,359 kilograms) of nectarines since Monday, after locking in litigation with Giumarra Brothers Fruit Co. The company claims exclusive rights over Mora’s “Monalise” white nectarine variety and alleges Mora breached a contract by selling the fruit to other packers. Mora disputes those claims and accuses the firm of unfair and fraudulent practices. A trial is set for later this month. The case reflects growing tensions between farmers and plant-breeding firms that secure patent-like exclusivity, with Star Fruits Diffusion holding rights for Monalise and Giumarra claiming sublicensing authority for testing, production, and sale.