We consider deciduous tree fruit production including peaches, plums, and nectarines. Between 1991 and 2000, California produced 664,000 t of tree fruit annually. The average annual cull rate is 25%, pro­viding 166,000 t of potential ethanol feedstock. This feedstock would be available seasonally from May through October.

The prices of culled tree fruit depend on the marketing options avail­able. Industry surveys completed in the spring of 2002 indicate that culled fruit prices range from $15 to $20/t. Hence, we use a price of $17/t in our analysis. Ethanol yields from culled fruit vary with the fruit selected. Nec­tarines have the highest yield 13 gal/t; peaches yield 12 gal/t; and plums generate 11 gal/t. We use the average of these estimates (12 gal/t) in our analysis. Hence, the estimated feedstock cost for culled fruit is $1.42/gal of ethanol.