Overview

Raisins are dried grapes, thus their name, which derives from the Latin word racemes, meaning "a cluster of grapes or berries." Grape growing (virticulture) appears to have started around 600 BC in the Transcausia area (present day Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) and, while it is reasonable to assume that dried grapes were consumed from early days, the Bible provides the first written mention of raisins around 1000 B.C. during the era of King David (Source: Sun-Maid). By the 9th century A.D., at least 78 varieties of grapes were being grown in the Near East (Source: Damania).

Spanish missionaries brought their grape-growing and wine-making knowledge to Mexico, New Mexico and California in the 18th century when establishing their missions that used sacramental wines. They also made raisins from Muscat grapes. Eventually, the San Joaquin Valley in California became a desirable location for raisin production because of the long, hot growing season and abundant water supplies in this southern portion of the Central Valley. By the late 1800s, Armenian raisin producers had settled in the area and used their expertise to make the industry thrive. Also in the late 1800s, a

Scottish immigrant, William Thompson, developed the Thompson seedless grape, which became the prevalent grape variety used in raisin production (Source: California Raisin Marketing Board). In addition to being an excellent grape for raisin production, the Thompson seedless grape is versatile because it can be marketed as a fresh commodity or used to make grape juice or wine.

Raisin production has been the most labor-intensive activity in North America (Source: Rural Migration News 2004). Although raisin production traditionally involves a lot of hand labor to cut bunches of green grapes and layer them to dry in the sun on paper trays between the rows of grapevines, the new dried-on-the-vine technology (DOV) allows for machine harvesting of the dry raisins and for less tillage.  September 2006  . . . Raisins


Sources

• California’s Central Valley: Center of the U.S. Raisin Industry, Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook, Economic Research Service, USDA, 2003 - This brief report gives an overview of U.S. raisin production, consumption and trade.
• Fruits and Tree Nuts, Briefing Room, ERS, USDA.

Other Links

• American Society for Enology & Viticulture, Department of Viticulture and Enology, University of California-Davis - This society of wine and grape professionals promotes the industry through information, research and education. 
• American Vineyard Foundation - This California-based organization funds research in viticulture and enology.
• California Commodity Profile: Raisins, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California, 2002 - This profile provides information about the raisin industry, including imports and exports.
• California Raisin Marketing Board - This Web site provides resource information for California raisins and the raisin industry.
• China Agricultural Data, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California, 2001 - Information on production, cost of production and trade.
• Department of Viticulture & Enology, University of California-Davis. 
• Grape, Fruit & Nut Research and Information Center, University of California-Davis - This Web site provides links to other related resources.
• Market News: Raisin Update, FAS, USDA, 2007.
• National Organic Program, USDA - This site lists the national standards on organic agricultural production and handling, certification procedures and accreditation.
• National Raisin Company - Located at Fowler, California, this company is one of the largest independent raisin processors. The company works with an organic grower group in the production of Bonner Organic Raisins.
• Northern Vineyards Winery, Illinois Value-Added Rural Development Center, 2001 - This is a case study on the formation and progress of a New Generation Cooperative in Minnesota.
• PlantFacts, Ohio State University - This Web site provides a full-text search engine of all extension and academic department information from all land-grant universities in the United States. Additionally, there are significant image and video databases, an FAQ database and a glossary.
• Raisin Administrative Committee - Raising production and distribution data is listed under the Marketing Policy link. From the Packers link, a list of California raisin packers is provided.
• Raisin Processing Laboratory, California State University, Fresno - This is a state-of-the-art processing facility located on the campus of California State in Fresno.
• Raisins, Dole Reference Center Encyclopedia.
• Sample Costs to Establish a Vineyard and Produce Dried on Vine Raisins, San Joaquin Valley, University of California-Davis, 2003. 
• Sun-Maid Growers of California - Sun-Maid is a grower-owned cooperative that was formed in 1912. It owns a 130-acre processing facility located in Kingsburg, California. The Web site also markets gift packs, specialty items and bulk items from the Growers Store.
• Trade Adjustment Assistance and California Commodities, Agricultural Issues Center, University of California, 2004.
• Viticulture and Enology Research Center, California State University, Fresno.
• What Forces Are Driving Cooperatives to Restructure?, Sun-Maid Growers, California, 2003 - This document, written by the president of Sun-Maid Growers, provides a perspective on the challenges being faced by a food-marketing co-op.

Links checked February 2008.