Cold Snap’s Damage to Crops Less Than Feared

Reports from San Diego County farmers suggest that last week’s cold spell did relatively little damage, contrary to initial fears, according to Bill Snodgrass, the county’s assistant agricultural commissioner.

Farmers now believe that an estimated 5% of the county’s $100-million avocado crop was damaged during the cold spell that broke with the arrival of last weekend’s rainstorm, Snodgrass said.

Strawberry and cucumber crops appear to have fared even better, according to farmers’ reports, Snodgrass said.

“There hasn’t been any more damage since last Wednesday or Thursday. But we’re waiting for reports on some of the borderline stuff.”

Farmers are now trying to determine if fruit that remains on trees has been damaged by the cold.

“One thing they look at are if the cells on stems have been damaged,” Snodgrass said. “If there’s been stem damage, the good fruit can fall off.”

Mature avocados that fall off trees during cold spells can often be salvaged, he said. Consequently, consumers should enjoy an increased supply--and possibly, lower prices--during coming weeks. But, longer term, the cold will reduce the size of this year’s avocado crop, Snodgrass said.

The recent cold snap was “nothing like the freeze we had 2 1/2 years ago,” he noted.

“Then it was so bad there was nothing to pick.”