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Orange trees weather flurries, freeze
United States
Friday 04 January 2008
Florida citrus growers were spared any widespread damage from an overnight cold snap that chilled much of the state and brought snow flurries to parts of the Atlantic Coast.
A serious freeze would have been devastating to the country's biggest citrus industry, already struggling from years of diseases and hurricanes. But most groves are in central and South Florida, where temperatures hovered in high 20s and low 30s. Trees can be ruined when temperatures fall to 28 degrees for four hours.
Forecasters predicted higher overnight temperatures for late Thursday and early Friday — good news for farmers who had already spent a sleepless night watching thermometers and freezing crops inside a protective sheen of ice.
"Mother Nature cut us a break this time and now we can continue to produce the quality citrus crop Florida is known for," said Michael W. Sparks, executive vice president and CEO of grower advocacy group Florida Citrus Mutual.
Temperatures were not below freezing for long enough to cause widespread damage to Florida's citrus trees, the group said. In fact, the cold could benefit some growers because it slows down growth and hardens up citrus trees.
Orange-juice futures for immediate delivery fell 6.20 cents Thursday to settle at US$1.4110 a pound on the New York Board of Trade.
Other crops, such as vegetables and strawberries, may have suffered some damage. It will take days for a final tally to be compiled, but officials believed Florida escaped catastrophic losses to wintertime crops.
A serious freeze would have been devastating to the country's biggest citrus industry, already struggling from years of diseases and hurricanes. But most groves are in central and South Florida, where temperatures hovered in high 20s and low 30s. Trees can be ruined when temperatures fall to 28 degrees for four hours.
Forecasters predicted higher overnight temperatures for late Thursday and early Friday — good news for farmers who had already spent a sleepless night watching thermometers and freezing crops inside a protective sheen of ice.
"Mother Nature cut us a break this time and now we can continue to produce the quality citrus crop Florida is known for," said Michael W. Sparks, executive vice president and CEO of grower advocacy group Florida Citrus Mutual.
Temperatures were not below freezing for long enough to cause widespread damage to Florida's citrus trees, the group said. In fact, the cold could benefit some growers because it slows down growth and hardens up citrus trees.
Orange-juice futures for immediate delivery fell 6.20 cents Thursday to settle at US$1.4110 a pound on the New York Board of Trade.
Other crops, such as vegetables and strawberries, may have suffered some damage. It will take days for a final tally to be compiled, but officials believed Florida escaped catastrophic losses to wintertime crops.
