Located in the San Joaquin Valley, Fresno is the raisin capital of the world. Most of the grape products in the United States are produced in the Fresno area. Hearing that, you can easily assume that the city relies heavily on its agriculture. Agriculture is the backbone of the city. Nearly 20 percent of the labor force in the city is agriculture-related. The local economy benefits much from it. The agricultural industry employs more workers and provides more jobs than any other industry in the area, bringing in $3.5 billion for the local economy. One in every three jobs in the area is agriculture-related.
More than 7,500 farmers are growing 250 kinds of crops on 1 million acres of fertile farmland. These crops include grapes, plums, cotton, tomatoes, oranges, peaches and nectarines. Other farm products include milk, cattle, and turkey. The area is also dubbed “the turkey capital.” A significant part of the population works in the food processing industry, which has emerged due to the productive agricultural activity. Several plants for curing, drying, freezing and canning food can be found in the area.
Although the agricultural industry in Fresno seems to be booming, there has actually been a rapid decline in the production. This is because of the advent of some manufacturing, distribution and call center industries. A study showed that Fresno is a great location for manufacturing and distribution because of its proximity to about 35 million people. A number of call center companies have already announced their expansion in Fresno and some other areas in the valley. The valley suffers from high unemployment.
Today, 20 percent of the workforce is in the agricultural industry. Although that seems pretty high, it has decreased significantly. The decline is due to a shift of interest from agriculture to industry, as a large number of farmers have already converted their farms into non-agricultural lands.
Commonly, Fresno residents who have a college diploma work in the fields of health care and education. A huge number of its residents with a degree are nurses and high school and grade school teachers.
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