Dole to Shutter Dried Fruit Unit

Dole Food Co. told workers Wednesday that it plans to close its money-losing dried fruit and nut division near Fresno.

The action, which had been under consideration for some time, will put 450 hourly and salaried employees out of work.

“That division has had a tough go,” said Tom Pernice, a spokesman at Dole’s headquarters in Westlake Village. The plant, in Malaga, packages almond, raisin, prune and date products.

Pernice said a consolidation in 1994 failed to reduce costs enough to make the division profitable. A proposed sale to Sun-Maid Growers of California fell through last year.