Enhancing the Marketability of California Persimmons

Although California produces 99 percent of the United States crop of persimmons, total acreage has decreased substantially, with the United States Department of Agriculture reporting a 16 percent drop from 1997 to 2007. In contrast, pomegranate, another California specialty crop, has seen cultivation increase by 424 percent in the same time period. This increase in cultivation and profitability has been propelled by two factors: 1.) Marketing based upon nutritional factors including the presence of bioactive compounds, and 2.) The availability of a minimally processed product year round.

This project will evaluate fresh persimmons, develop the conditions for producing a dried persimmon product (at the home and cottage level), and evaluate the resulting dried product for its nutritional content and consumer acceptability. Results from this study will be shared with growers, producers, and consumers, and ultimately compiled into a glossy flyer detailing the home drying process and nutritional benefits to be displayed and distributed at the point of sale. 

You can download electronic versions and request printed versions of the point of sale flyers at this page.