El Nino’s Toll

California agriculture officials keep ratcheting up the tally on El Nino-related farm losses. The latest figure is $532 million, up from $218 million in mid-June. The wet, chilly spring wreaked havoc with cherries, cotton, almonds, asparagus, watermelons, wheat and tomatoes.

Cool weather heightened color in the state’s apple crop but delayed the harvest by about two weeks. That will intensify competition with Washington state, the nation’s leader, expected to produce a record 105 million boxes versus last year’s 79 million.

*

Martha Groves can be reached by e-mail at martha.groves@latimes.com, or by fax at (213) 473-2480.