Freezing temperatures over Easter weekend have devastated fruit crops in parts of the south-eastern US and Midwest.

The Carolinas have been particularly badly hit. South Carolina, the US’s second-largest, peach-producing state after California suffered the full brunt of the freeze. And North Carolina’s peach, apple and blueberry crops were damaged but growers are hopeful that strawberries may have weathered the freeze. Meanwhile, peaches in Georgia and Alabama were also damaged as were apple buds in Michigan, West Virginia and Georgia and tomatoes in Florida.

The effects of the prolonged freeze, which hit many growers over several consecutive nights, is all the worse as unseasonably warm temperatures in March had brought fruit blossom and budding on early.

Producers are still assessing damage, but supplies to the UK are unlikely to be affected as the states affected are not major sources for the market. However, there could be secondary effects with volumes from other states and the remaining crops in the affected states likely to see increased demand and higher prices.

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