Big freeze in U.S.A damages crops by Nina Ridge
Unusually cold weather has affected many parts of the eastern United States over the Easter weekend. The cold weather has come as somewhat of a shock and has threatened to destroy vast harvests of fruit, cereal and vegetable crops.
The extent of the damage to this year’s crops isn’t yet known, but is considered by experts as being “devastating”.
In South Carolina and Alabama, peach and other fruit blossoms were already in the early stage of development after a warm spell in late March. In early April, an arctic air mass pushed down into the north of the country which brought heavy falls of snow. Nearly 49 inches of snow fell in the Great Lakes region, and the arctic blast sent temperatures plummeting far below danger levels as far south as Texas and Georgia. This latest cold blast has literally nipped them all in the bud.
The extensive damage to many fruit crops across large parts of the United States will likely mean higher fruit prices. Corn farmers in Gibson County, Tennessee could potentially lose more than $10 million in harvests if the cold snap has damaged just 30% of the county’s estimated 60,000 acres planted.
In sharp contrast, hot and mainly dry weather in Brazil, South America in recent weeks has brought good coffee yields, and harvests that will be expected earlier than usual.
|
|
