Feb 6, 2025

Matoian Brothers master grape cultivation best practices amid labor and pest challenges

Brothers George and Richard Matoian have built a thriving table grape operation in Fresno, California by focusing on grape cultivation best practices that balance fruit quality, environmental care and efficiency. At Matoian Brothers, the pair grows premium red, green and black table grapes while navigating the ongoing challenges of labor, pests, disease and regulation.

Balancing labor and regulation

Labor remains their biggest concern. “It’s more of all the regulations surrounding the ability to grow, whether it be laws related to pesticides and labor,” said Richard Matoian. “I would say regulation is death by a thousand paper cuts. It’s not one single regulation that will do you in. It’s all of them accumulating on top of one another that can make it difficult.”

The Matoians employ a mix of in-house workers and contracted labor but avoid full reliance on the H-2A program. “If you’re having to rely on H-2A for what we’re growing, we wouldn’t be able to,” Richard said. “It’s all the different things you have to do to be able to qualify to utilize the workers.”

These requirements — such as advertising for workers, providing transportation and housing, and meeting the rising Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) — make labor management increasingly complex.

“This is what has caused many people to change their commodity mix — the cost and availability of labor,” Richard said. “People are looking for commodities that can be more highly mechanized. That’s always an important consideration.”

Intensive table grape management

Unlike winegrape or raisin production, table grapes demand year-round labor for specialized field tasks. Crews remove non-grape shoots, pinch bunches to limit vigor, and perform “tipping” to maintain compact bunches. They also girdle vines — a process of removing bark layers without cutting into the wood — to keep nutrients flowing upward and improve berry size.

“It becomes a challenge in table grapes to make sure you have a blemish-free product,” Richard said. “Disease and insect control of them is critically important. We can’t stand to have a little bit of powdery mildew or a little insect damage. We have to make sure we’re always looking at managing and growing table grapes to a higher quality level, free of blemishes and pests.”

Pest and disease management

The Matoians consider pest control a cornerstone of grape cultivation best practices. They manage mealy bugs, which secrete sooty mold, and thrips, which cause scarring. “If they are in a bunch, you’re basically done with,” Richard said. Because of Fresno’s humid conditions, powdery mildew also poses a constant challenge.

The brothers rely on pest control advisors to inspect vines, recommend sprays and ensure proper nutrient balance. “Our focus is making sure we have the plant nutrition correct,” Richard said. “The soils may not have all the right nutrients in them.”

The farm applies compost and soil nutrients regularly and participates in a USDA composting program that incentivizes cover cropping and soil improvement. “Where we are growing, we have lighter soils, which tend to be lower in organic matter,” Richard said. “Composting is a very beneficial component.”

Innovation and technology

Although table grapes require significant manual labor, the Matoians have integrated technology to improve precision and efficiency. Soil moisture sensors monitor vine hydration, while satellite imagery identifies stress areas in the vineyard. They also use degree-day data to determine optimal spray timing.

Insect traps, sound machines and flashing lights deter wildlife such as gophers and coyotes, which damage irrigation lines. These tools, combined with pest monitoring, represent key elements of modern grape cultivation best practices.

Varieties and trellis systems

The Matoians emphasize continual innovation through new varieties and trellis designs. They replaced older Thompson Seedless vines with modern proprietary varieties that offer superior flavor, size and durability. Sweet Globe, a large green seedless grape, replaced the seeded Red Globe. Jack’s Salute, a red seedless variety, and Solbrio, an early midseason black seedless grape, round out their production.

The brothers grow their vines on a metal V-trellis system with 52-inch cross arms on a material cordon setup, which helps improve sunlight explore and airflow — both essential to maintaining fruit quality and reducing disease pressure.

Deep roots and family tradition

The Matoian family’s agricultural roots date back to 1928, when their father transitioned from vegetables to raisins. In 1997, George and Richard established Matoian Brothers, combining their experience in fruit marketing and trade association management.

“It’s one thing to just be a grower and have to turn everything over,” Richard said. “To be able to sell what you grow is an important consideration. That’s what made all the things click together.”

In 2020, they expanded their operation by planting pistachios, but grapes remain at the heart of their work. “It’s seeing how at the end of the day we produce something that’s unique, tasty, delicious and good for you,” Richard said. “And we do it in a manner that we know we have added to, instead of taking away from, the environment around us.”

Through innovation, attention to detail and dedication to quality, the Matoian Brothers continue to demonstrate grape cultivation best practices that sustain both their farm and the legacy of California table grape production.