Since the arctic temperatures blew in from Alaska on Saturday, local farmers have been salvaging what they can. The valuable avocado crops were hardest hit – San Diego County is the nation’s largest avocado producer. And local citrus groves, nurseries and the cut flower industry are also suffering losses. But if each winter brings some icy nights to San Diego, what’s so dangerous about what’s happening this week?
Larson: We expected the cold. What we didn’t expect was how long it would stay cold. So the duration was really the issue and was really the problem.
Larson predicts the freezing temperatures will cost the county up to $20 million or more in damage. For San Diego residents, this may mean fewer avocados and oranges in stores, and a short-term increase in prices. For farmers in our county, the costs are multiplied.
Larson: In the face of California’s $35 billion agriculture economy and San Diego County’s $1.5 billion dollar agriculture economy, they might not seem significant. But if you’re a grower who lost 100 percent, that’s really tough. And so you only get to pick that one crop a year, so that grower faces the prospect of no income for a full year. So the recovery might be very long and difficult for some of these growers.
Larson says while produce imports from Mexico and other regions will keep consumers from seeing extensive shortages or dramatic hikes in prices, price increases for citrus fruits will be the most common. Shoppers already pay high prices for avocados after significant retailer mark-ups.
