$1.1-billion orange crop is severely damaged (CA freeze)

LA Times ^ | 1/16/06 | Sharon Bernstein, David Pierson and Jerry Hirsch, Times Staff Writers

[BurbankKarl]

As much as 70% of oranges still on California trees may have been destroyed by record cold temperatures across the state, officials and farmers said Monday.

It will take days to make a full assessment of the losses to the $1.1-billion orange crop. But the state's top agriculture official said Monday that damage to fruit and vegetable crops overall will be greater and more widespread than in the devastating freeze of 1998, which destroyed $700 million worth of produce across California.

"This cold incident will surpass the 1998-99 freeze," said A.G. Kawamura, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Losses, although greatest in the San Joaquin Valley, seem to be spread through many parts of the state that typically have been immune to freezes, he said, "from San Diego … to the coast."

In addition to citrus fruits, growers are reporting damage to other crops, including leafy greens, avocados, strawberries and blueberries, said Kawamura, who has spent the last few days visiting farms from Fresno to Ventura.

Some farmers are reporting damage to 100% of their crops, and many others say more than half their produce is destroyed, he said.

The orange crop was particularly hard-hit because growers had picked only 30% of the state's 193,000 acres of orange groves before the freeze.

[BurbankKarl]

Going to a lot of people hanging out at Home Depot once the layoffs start.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

The cause for this freeze is of course....global warming.

[dfwgator]

I saw "Trading Places", how do we know that crop report was not a fake one? :)

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Delivering falsified crop reports can have consequences.

[flashbunny]

damnit, manbearpig has been busy!

[sionnsar]

Bush's fault.

[AD from SpringBay]

Expect prices to go up this afternoon.

[2banana]

Where is Al "We are all going to melt" Gore?

[Uncle Hal]

This brings back memories. My dad was in the citrus business in Porterville,CA. I remember when it got close to freezing my dad would be a basket case worrying about loosing the current crop of citrus and even the trees if it got cold enough. We used smudge pots to keep the trees warm. Boy, were they dirty and messy. Most growers used them and they caused a black cloud to hang over the area. I do not know if they are still in use today with all the environmental standards. I do not recall that we ever lost any fruit do to freezes. It probably took years off my dads life.

[USMCWife6869]

We have had some major freezing issues here in Yuma, as well. So far it hasn't had a major effect on crops, but the longer it continues, the worse it will be, I'm sure. Here it is mostly lettuce and citrus.

Excerpt from Yuma Sun article:

"Yeah, I've had some damage," Bill Spencer, president of Associated Citrus Packers, said of his company's citrus crop. However, he won't know how much until later in the week when the fruit starts showing the impact from its exposure to temperatures that dipped into the low 20s Saturday night and again Sunday night.

He said he has been in the citrus business since 1972 and "can't remember such a widespread freeze in the West of this magnitude. It hit from Sacramento Valley to Phoenix. The impact will be tremendous, not just on the industry, but on consumers."

Produce growers, meanwhile, are dealing with lettuce ice. It doesn't affect the crop much if the lettuce isn't harvested until the ice melts.

The last few days, that has taken until after lunchtime, reported grower Rick Rademacher. The half day to harvest, coupled with a shortage of farm workers, is resulting in less lettuce getting cut.

On the plus side, that shortage means the market is going up, he said.

But the continuing cold weather is taking its toll on the lettuce quality, said grower John Boelts. "Three or four days in a row ... that's when you get more damage."

It also slows the crop, Rademacher said. "You've got to water and fertilize it to keep it going. "And it's hard on the people to work in the cold and out in the wind."

The Yuma area provides more than 90 percent of the lettuce and other fresh vegetables for the United States during the winter months.

http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_29357.php

Article written by Joyce Lobeck, article printed Monday, January 15, 2007

[Trust but Verify]

Unfortunate for the citrus growers, but the rest of us will just practice the good old economic principal of substitution.

[madison10]

Wondering if the super warmness (50 degrees for days this month) and then the freezing will destroy the apple blossoms in Michigan...

[IrishMike]

Bush and global warming the culprits.

[goldstategop]

Global Warming Alert!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[taxed2death]

I guess there's be a mass migration BACK to messico now.... right?

[BurbankKarl]

nah...every 20 years.

[shadeaud]

Will the illegals be able to sign up for unemployment and housing assistance. Would it be possible to pay them in cash or a sizable debit card rather than a check</s)

[Dane]

Unfortunate for the citrus growers, but the rest of us will just practice the good old economic principal of substitution.

Orange juice shouldn't be affected, since the vast amount of juice oranges are grown in Florida, eating oranges though will probably skyrocket in price.