I had no idea about the wars fought over raisins in this country. Seems like such a harmless and wholesome food, and yet animosities have resulted in death threats and what might be called a raisin mafia. I wasn’t sure whether to be amused or horrified by the article.
Hey, that’s nothing. Apparently lemons were the reason for the origins of the Sicilian mafia! Some economists wrote a paper about it.
Which brings to mind the classic Lemon of Troy
When life gives you lemons, put the squeeze on 'em.
The good news is that the raisin story seems to have a happy ending. No one’s singing Kumbaya yet, but no one’s being hung out to dry.
Great article, and the photos were amazing!
I noticed that too - I especially liked the one with the rows of grape vines and the clouds overhead.
This was already well documented in the 1980’s: Fresno 
I can’t figure out why everything is going on in Fresno. If you’ve ever driven up through Central California on Highway 99, you’ll pass through Selma. And right there on the big “Welcome to Selma” sign you will see “Raisin Capital of the World!”
(actually, I prefer currants…)
~VOW
I’ve driven through the San Joaquin many times. I’ve tried to block it all out of my mind.
Highway 99 is a special kind of Hell.
~VOW
I was stationed at Lemoore NAS for a couple of years. Or at least it felt like a couple of years.
Interesting story. Thanks for posting. And oddly, I have a hankering for something called “sour raisins”. 
there was a tariff on German trucks that was called the chicken tax. “Its roots are in a trade dispute between the U.S. and Germany in the early 1960s, initially focused on frozen chicken parts. The dispute was dubbed the Chicken Wars, and it’s the topic of a short film by NPR’s Planet Money team.”
Actual currants or zante currants?
The mafia apparently controls a counterfeit olive oil racket.
Zante currants are liars. They’re raisins.
So is this the currant state of affairs?
Five years ago at this time of year, Mexican drug cartels were tampering with lime sales because they were very profitable.
They eventually went sour on the whole idea.
Zante, if you are baking cookies, or adding to hot cereal. If you can get me a genuine German tart with “actual” currants, I’ll take it, too!
~VOW