Turns out the third driest year on record in San Diego has helped local nursery farmers. But avocado growers got hit with a triple whammy. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.
It's been a rough year for farmers throughout Southern California. The year started with the worst freeze in recent memory. Now record dry conditions are continuing to squeeze water supplies. But the nursery industry is finding something positive in the rain-free spring and summer: Homeowners have been heading to garden centers to buy more plants. Eric Larson is with the San Diego County Farm Bureau .
Larson: Spring is always the big time of the year but it seems to be higher this year. Some of it driven by people replacing frost or freeze-damaged plants. But I think it's more to the credit of the good weather.
The demand means farmers who salvaged their crops are selling everything they produce. But avocado growers are not so lucky.
Larson: About 30 percent of the crop was destroyed by the freeze this year. It was already a low crop year anyway. And now we have the imported Mexican avocados in California for the first time. Then we give them the news that they may have to cut their water back by 30 percent. So some of the avocado growers are really starting to analyze what they do.
While many nursery growers pay a higher price to ensure a steady supply of water, Larson says most avocado and citrus growers pay less. The tradeoff - potential cutbacks.
Larson: Those water restrictions will hit the avocado and citrus growers real heavy cause they depend on that lower level of service, that price they pay for that lower level of service. So if there are cutbacks they'll take the first hit."
Some farmers say if there's less water they'll cut back on crops...and that means fewer jobs in San Diego county's billion-dollar agriculture industry. Ed Joyce, KPBS News.
