Pummelos are only grown on approximately 1,000 acres in California – a relatively small footprint compared to other citrus varieties. With their own unique flavor, low acidity, and excellent fiber content, these hefty fruits deserve their moment in the spotlight. One family that has never overlooked the value and potential of pummelos is the Haury family, who turned this niche citrus into their specialty, even investing in specialized equipment to pack this sizeable fruit.
Haury Farms is truly a family-run operation. Greg is a third-generation farmer in the Ivanhoe area of Tulare County, following in the footsteps of his father, Jim, and grandfather, Edgar. Today, he works alongside his son Blake, the fourth generation. Greg’s wife, Angela, manages the office and bookkeeping side of the operation.
Greg first planted pummelos in 1989 after a nursery friend tipped him off about their potential. In 2000, Greg and Jim built a small packinghouse to pack their pummelos. Initially, Greg managed packing while Jim focused on farming.
Within a few years, the Haurys saw the opportunity to expand the packing operation beyond their own harvest. Soon, they were packing for 15 growers and by 2008, they had built a new packing house and cold storage facility. In recent years, however, the Haurys have scaled back to exclusively packing their own fruit under their brand name, Haury Farms.
Another significant shift for the family has been transitioning entirely to organic farming. Today, 100 percent of their citrus is organic. Greg points out that the increasing consumer demand for organic and healthier food options has helped justify the higher farming costs, although he acknowledges that profit margins remain tight.
“The returns on organic are higher, but the costs are also much higher,” said Greg.
Those higher expenses are compounded by California’s overall rising farming costs – including labor, water, fuel, and regulatory compliance – which make it challenging for family operations like Haury Farms to stay viable.
Water availability, a common challenge for California growers, has posed significant hurdles for the Haury family. With limited surface water resources, Greg’s farming decisions have become complicated.
“Our acreage sits within two different Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) districts, each with its own rules and restrictions you have to know and follow,” said Greg. “Recently, we had to rip out acreage because we needed the water credits to continue farming more productive blocks. We are trying to follow the rules, but we are getting put in a really difficult position when the rules keep changing.”
Water challenges aside, the market for pummelos has become increasingly challenging due to imports.
“It has become tough to compete. The retail market is OK, but the mom-and-pop shops are buying from importers at a much lower price. All of our costs are rising, and profits are shrinking,” said Greg.
To help navigate these challenges, Greg’s son, Blake, notes that the new pummelo import report – which was recently added in addition to reports for oranges, lemons, mandarins and grapefruit – on the CCM website has been a valuable tool as they monitor the market to make informed business decisions.
Despite these considerable challenges working against farmers, the Haurys remain optimistic about their future in agriculture. They continue to adapt and innovate, confident in California’s unmatched agricultural quality.
“At the end of the day, people have to eat. And our quality here in California is the best in the world.”
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