Fay Endangers Crops
August 20th, 2008 by flanewsThe biggest casualties of Tropical Storm Fay could be the state’s fruit and vegetable crops. Fay is dumping rain and flooding fields across central Florida. Some tomato plants are underwater. Sixty mile per hour winds are also snapping orange and grapefruit tree limbs. Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture said water logged branches and soaked fruit could ruin as much as 20 percent of the state’s citrus crops.
“The amount of fruit that’s been reported on these trees and now it’s sucked up all that water and you’re going to have some damaged limbs and the fruit is probably going to snap some of those limbs. You’re going to have a percentage of loss. We just don’t know what that is yet,” said Bronson.
Widespread damage could force farmers to raise prices on tomatoes and oranges.
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