-March 18,2021-
Goshen citrus packing plant in works
A Special Use Permit will allow a fruit packing facility on a 9-acre portion of a 42+
acre parcel, located in the AE-40 zone at 31932 Road 60, Visalia, on the southeast corner of Avenue 320 and
Road 60 and west side of State Route 99, near Goshen. 2.Surrounding properties contain agriculture (orchards)
and scattered rural residences to the north, west and south. State Route 99 lies to the east.
The applicant, M Park, Inc., proposes relocating their Orange Cove plant to the subject site. They propose adding
154,300 s.f. of structures, with a 95,465 s.f. packing area, two cold storage areas (45,402 s.f. and 9,475 s.f.), 3,930 s.f. office and lobby, a four-truck loading dock, a 125,000 gallon water storage tank for fire
suppression, and four hydrants.
Building permit applications have been submitted for a new 154,318 s.f. fruit packing facility
and a new septic system for the facility.
The applicant also proposes grading an on-site stormwater retention basin.Between 50 and 100
employees will work at the facility year round. The applicant stated there is a potential for a night shift and additional employees
during the peak citrus harvest season. The company is a family-owned corporation that farms
over 1,000 acres in the Central Valley, per their business statement. They service 2,000± acres
of outside ranches. Annual production is 1.5-2 million #40 citrus cartons (40,000 tons). Per the applicant’s Business
Statement, field bins of oranges, lemons and mandarins are received from ranches. The fruit is washed, graded,
waxed, sized and packaged. Approximately 2,000 gallons of water is used per year to rinse the fruit. Packet cartons are
shipped worldwide.
Valencia crop looks bigger
California’s Valencia orange crop looks larger says USDA at an
estimated 20 million cartons. Last year there were 18 million cartons.
Ironically this year’s higher crop estimate comes with lower
bearing acreage – down to 26,000 acres compared to 28,000 acres in
2019/20. Ten years earlier it stood at 43,000 acres.
This variety fell out of favor until COVID-19 hit and in the past year
growers cant harvest enough to meet demand.
Now California-grown citrus fruit may rise because of
crop losses in Texas caused by its mid-February freeze. Farmers in
Texas lost much of their grapefruit and Valencia orange crops.
California farms may produce more of both this season, according to
the new USDA estimate. Government forecasters also expect more
tangerine production in California, but say crops of lemons and navel
oranges could be smaller.
Ventura Coastal adds new capacity
Ventura Coastal is adding new capacity at their 2 citrus plants in Tulare
County. In Tipton the juice maker has added acesptic packaging line. In
Visalia /Cutler the company is under construction with a $8 million freezer
and warehouse.
Horticulture shrinks in California
USDA reports that horticulture operations in California sold $2.63 billion in floriculture, nursery and specialty crops in 2019, down 9% from the sales in 2014. California sold 19% of the total U.S. horticulture sales of $13.8 billion in 2019, more than any other state. In addition to sales, the number of horticulture operations in California decreased 22% during this time to 1,331, and the number of operations in the United States decreased 11% during this time to 20,655.