Figs are one of the earliest fruits cultivated by man. Native to areas from Asiatic Turkey to northern India, figs spread to all the countries around the Mediterranean. Today, the United States, Turkey, Greece and Spain are the primary producing nations of dried figs. In California, four principle varieties of figs are grown: the amber colored Calimyrna; the dark, purplish colored Mission; the Adriatic and the Kadota. The Calimyrna and the Mission varieties are the most prevalent varieties in the whole fig market and represent over two-thirds of the California fig production. The Adriatic variety is used almost exclusively in the production of fig paste. The Kadota is canned in its fresh state for a small consumer market or is highly sulfured and dried for export.
