Dried Plum Publication

2015 California
Dried Plum (Prune) Forecast
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Cooperating with the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Pacific Regional Office-California
Pacific Regional Office · P.O. Box 1258 · Sacramento, CA 95812 · (916) 498-5161 · (855) 270-2722 Fax · www.nass.usda.gov/ca

Released: June 2, 2015

The 2015 California dried plum (prune)
crop is forecast at 100 thousand tons,
down 4 percent from the 104 thousand
tons produced in 2014. Total 2015
bearing acreage is estimated at 48,000,
equal to the previous year. The French
prune variety accounts for virtually all
dried plum acreage grown in California.
The production forecast is based on a
survey of dried plum growers conducted
by the USDA, NASS, Pacific Regional
Office from May 8-27, 2015.
The survey used a random sampling
design based on total dried plum
acreage for each operator. The sample
is designed to provide a State estimate
of production for all growers.
Questionnaires were mailed to growers
on April 22, 2015 with return requested
by May 8th. Non-respondents were
telephoned. Responses were received
from 222 growers whose acres
represent 49 percent of the total bearing
acreage.
The 2015 dried plum set appears to be
very good. A warm and early spring may
cause an increase in amount of smaller
fruit.
Harvest is expected to begin
around the middle of August.

California Dried Plum (Prune) Acreage, Production, and Value, 1996-2015

1/
2/
3/
4/
5/

Value of
Total
Utilized
Yield Per
Utilized
Bearing
Non-Bearing
Production
Production
Acre
Price Per Ton
Production
Year
Acres
Tons (Dried Basis)
Dollars
1,000 Dollars
1996
85,000
23,700
223,000
223,000
2.62
839.00
187,097
1997
82,000
21,300
214,000
205,000
2.61
883.00
181,015
1998
83,000
26,000
108,000
103,000
1.30
764.00
78,692
1999
83,000
22,000
178,000
165,000
2.14
861.00
142,065
2000
86,000
15,000
219,000
201,000
2.55
770.00
154,770
2001
86,000
11,000
150,000
135,000
1.74
726.00
98,010
2002
74,000
9,000
172,000
163,000
2.32
810.00
132,030
2003
72,000
8,000
181,000
168,000
2.51
772.00
129,696
2004
70,000
4/
49,000
48,000
0.70
1,500.00
72,000
2005
67,000
7,500
97,000
94,000
1.45
1,470.00
138,180
2006
65,000
7,500
198,000
189,000
3.05
1,390.00
262,710
2007
64,000
7,500
83,000
81,000
1.30
1,450.00
117,450
2008
64,000
4/
129,000
129,000
2.02
1,500.00
193,500
2009
64,000
4/
166,000
166,000
2.59
1,230.00
204,180
2010
61,000
4/
130,000
130,000
2.13
1,350.00
175,500
2011
58,000
4/
137,000
137,000
2.36
1,310.00
179,470
2012
55,000
4/
138,000
138,000
2.51
1,330.00
183,540
2013 1/
50,000
4/
85,000
85,000
1.70
2,000.00
170,000
2014 2/
48,000
4/
104,000
104,000
2.17
2,200.00
229,000
2015 3/
48,000
4/
100,000
5/
2.08
5/
5/
Source: USDA, NASS, Pacific Regional Office-California
Price is based on the Walnut Raisin Prune Reported released in October 2014.
Production and acreage were revised.
Forecast.
Non-Bearing discontinued in 2008.
Preliminary Utilized Production, Price and Value will be available in January 2016.

VIC TOLOMEO
Director
JENNIFER VAN COURT
Estimates Group Leader
JEFF OLSON
Estimates Group Statistician

This report is available free-of-charge on our
website at: www.nass.usda.gov/ca