Drought, Freeze, Insects Cited as Farm Income Falls

Revenues from California farms decreased 5% in 1991, hit by the fifth year of drought, the December, 1990, freeze and last fall’s whitefly infestation, preliminary figures show.

The decline was the first drop in six years, but it wasn’t as bad as some had forecast, said Ray Borton, state Food and Agriculture Department’s senior economist.

Diverse crops and adaptable farmers cushioned the blow of the elements, he said.

Cash receipts from crop and livestock production dropped $1 billion to $17.9 billion in 1991 from a record $18.9 billion in 1990, according to preliminary estimates from the department.

Borton said farmers adapted to the water shortages by using drip irrigation, watering at night and planting crops that use less water. But he said farmers also depleted ground water supplies at a faster pace than last year. Sixty percent of water California used in 1991 was ground water, compared to 40% in a typical year, he said.

Taking a loss was water-intensive cotton, which accounted for one-fourth of the $1-billion drop. Another $209 million of the decline was attributed to the December, 1990, freeze that wiped out much of the 1991 crop of citrus fruits in the San Joaquin Valley.

Total citrus production dropped 50%.

Last November, disaster struck again in the form of a whitefly infestation that wiped out the melon crop. But cooler weather reduced the fly populations, minimizing impact on winter lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower.