Cal Citrus Packing Company of Lindsay, with a grower base of 4,000 acres, has signed an agreement to trade produce using the AgriWorld Exchange online service, the two companies say. The agreement enables Cal Citrus to offer its 2.5 million cartons of fresh citrus annually via an online real-time exchange.

"AgriWorld Exchange is an exciting new way to trade citrus, and we have always been in the front lines of new business technology", according to Lori Van Leer of Cal Citrus Packing. "We expect AgriWorld Exchange to greatly extend our sales and exposure over the Internet. We also look to the platform to streamline purchasing and billing." Cal Citrus engages in a significant amount of exporting, primarily to Korea, Australia, Japan, China and Panama. "We are hoping that AgriWorld Exchange will also help us expand quickly into Mexico, given the strong relationships they have formed", says Ms. Van Leer. Menlo Park-based AgriWorld Exchange says it is the first online agri-trading marketplace designed specifically to enable buyers and sellers worldwide to connect online in an open market for fresh produce.