March 23, 2022
www.gfb.org
Vol. 4 No. 7
MARCH 12-13 FREEZE CAUSES SOME DAMAGE, DELAYS FRUIT CROPS The freezing temperatures that swept across Georgia on March 12 and 13 resulted in some damage to the state’s fruit crops, the worst of which appears to be in blueberries grown in the southernmost portion of the state. The consensus feeling among the growers GFB media talked to was thankfulness. “It was bad, but it certainly could have been worse,” said Tim McMillan, who runs Southern Grace Farms in Berrien County and chairs Georgia Farm Bureau’s Fruit Committee. Strawberry and peach growers sustained losses in early-blooming fruit plants. Growers still anticipate strong crops, though the prospect of another freeze event is a cause for concern. In the mid-March event, temperatures plunged to the mid-20s in South Georgia and the teens in the North Georgia mountains, posing a variety of challenges for producers of most of the state’s major fruit crops. On March 22, Georgia Blueberry Commission Chairman Jerome Crosby said growers are still reviewing – he had crop scouts scheduled to survey his fields later this week – but early-blooming highbush blueberries were the hardest hit. “If you had high bush without frost protection, it’s gone,” Crosby said. “The fruit was so mature and the cold so severe, it was an immediate death to that crop.” Crosby said about 40% of Georgia highbush blueberries do not have frost protection. Even with frost protection - irrigation that combines with the freezing temperatures to form an ice capsule around the berries – growers could still have damage to 15% to 20% of their berries. Rabbiteye blueberries, which bloom later, generally escaped serious damage, Crosby said. The diminished crop generated other concerns. Retailers waiting on the arrival of early season blueberries can resort to buying imported berries. Crosby worried that domestic producers might not regain that shelf space next year. Blueberry packing facilities, many of which had already purchased materials and arranged for labor, will likely suffer financial harm with no early fruit on their processing lines. “Most of the farmers have crop insurance, but they don’t want to farm crop insurance. Big losers are packing facilities. There will be no revenue without fruit going down the processing line. That’s tough,” Crosby said. -continued on next page