Daniel Hartwig, president of the California Fresh Fruit Association, recently spoke with Freshfruitportal.com about his projections for 2025 and some of the issues and new markets that are top of mind for the state's industry.

California dealt with many new challenges in 2024. Hartwig called it "challenging, but surprising," and noted that now, with a new presidency, some markets have opened while others have closed.

Opening new markets is a top priority for Hartwig in 2025 as the state looks for new growth opportunities.

In July, the USDA announced that California peaches and nectarines were immediately granted market access to Vietnam, a significant win for the U.S. stone fruit market.

Daniel Hartwig, California Fresh Fruit Association President

"We're excited about Vietnam opening for stone fruit commodities," he said, "but we also recognize that it will take time to develop the market. It takes time, but we think it will be a great market, and we're hopeful it will continue developing."

Hartwig added that the state is working to gain access to South Korea. "We need those markets since China was ostensibly shut down. With upcoming tariffs, it's not looking like a favorable market for us, and we don't think it will come back around anytime soon."

He also highlighted concerns about Trump's plans to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada, two significant markets for California agriculture.

"We have to keep our eyes open regarding the impact these tariffs will have on some of the crops," he said.

As for upcoming movements or trends that might benefit the industry, Hartwig expressed excitement about the "Make America Healthy Again" initiative. Since fresh fruits are a tremendous source of nutrients, he said, "we (California) have the tools to provide those healthy products."

On the regulatory side, Hartwig emphasized that in California, "it comes down to water." He explained that while the northern half of the state recently experienced heavy rains, the association is working with state and federal partners to ensure the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is implemented fairly.

SGMA was enacted to "help protect groundwater resources over the long term." According to the California Department of Water Resources, groundwater supplies 30–40% of all water uses in California in a typical year and close to 60% in drought years when surface water is scarce.

The implementation of SGMA imposes higher groundwater pumping costs. According to a study by the University of Maryland, if California meets SGMA’s groundwater targets, fruit and nut production will decrease statewide.

Hartwig noted that farmers are working to recharge their groundwater when there is a surplus. The association is advocating on the regulatory end to ensure farmers meet sustainability goals without depleting their resources.

"We're trying to stay ahead and eliminate those hiccups so that when the rains do come, we can capture a lot of that water and get it back in the ground or stored so we can use it when needed," Hartwig added.

He also mentioned that the organization is monitoring the California Air Resources Board due to new mandates regarding electrification and zero emissions.

Regarding fruit maturity or what the industry will look like next year, Hartwig said it’s still a little early to tell as most farmers are currently pruning their crops. However, he remains optimistic about 2025.

"I think from the weather perspective, things are shaping up. If we continue to have a nice, cool winter, things will be set up pretty nicely here for next year," he added. "As we look at what the future holds, there are tremendous opportunities here, but we have to be smart when implementing policies and give farmers the tools to take advantage of what they have."