Florida fruit and vegetable growers could lose more than 30 per cent of their winter production as a result of 10 consecutive nights of sub-zero temperatures that struck the US state this month.
Florida’s department of agriculture said “substantial damages” were likely after the cold weather affected the region between 3 and 13 January, with growers in the Belle Glade area reporting that the freeze had damaged up to 70 per cent of their pepper crop.
Terence McElroy, a spokesman for Florida’s department of agriculture told The Packer that officials in the state would receive preliminary estimates of the extent of the damage around 18 January, although he said there was expected to be at least a 30 per cent drop in production.
“We anticipate there will be very substantial damages,” Mr McElroy told the publication.
“The tomatoes, sweetcorn, zucchini squash (courgette) and many of the winter vegetables grown around Lake Okeechobee and further south, particularly in lower-lying areas, were severely damaged.”
Florida agriculture commissioner Charles Bronson reportedly visited the Plant City area, where strawberry crops are said to have been affected, on 14 January to view the damage and is expected to call for federal disaster aid.
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