Hurricane Wilma damage unveiled as more companies get back to business
Hurricane Wilma damage unveiled as more companies get back to business
"First and foremost in importance, I am happy to report that none of our people were injured by Hurricane Wilma," said Billy Heller, chief operating officer of Pacific Tomato Growers Ltd. in Palmetto, FL. "Regarding crop conditions, however, some of our growing regions in the state fared better than others. We will be harvesting as planned in the Palmetto and Ruskin areas [of Florida], but it is too early to tell the exact extent of damage done in this region. We expect to learn that some bloom was blown off the plants, but we feel sure that these areas fared without too much damage."
On Wednesday, Oct. 26, Mr. Heller told The Produce News that early reports indicated that crops in the Ft. Meyers, FL, region fared about the same as those in Palmetto and Ruskin, but he added that crop surveys had not yet been completed in these areas.
"Immokalee [FL] is a different story," he said. "There is definitely more excitement coming out of that area. A hurricane this late in the season is something that the industry hasn't dealt with in the past, so we are just now learning how the plants responded to the winds and rain. We do expect to harvest a crop in the area, however. It may just be lighter than originally planned."
Mr. Heller added that Pacific Tomato Growers' customers should be assured that the company would not suffer tomato supply shortages this season due to the storm. The company's growing regions in Mexico will more than compensate for any potential losses suffered in Florida.
"Our partnerships in Mexico are hedged for exactly this reason," he said. "The strength of our company is in the fact that regardless of unforeseen situations such as Hurricane Wilma, we will have ample product to supply all of our customers. The Mexican crop looks good, and we will be shipping on schedule."
Most telephone lines at growers' offices in the Immokalee area were still out of service Oct. 26, and cell phone calls were going directly to voice mail because signal towers were inoperable. The majority of people were still without water, which has repair priority over telephone lines or electric service. It was therefore difficult to get first-hand and specific reports on damage done to tomato and other vegetable farms.
Hurricane Wilma came ashore in what growers said was the worst possible time in the fall growing season and at the worst possible region in the state. The tomato crops in the area were only a short time away from initial harvests.
"The primary southern Florida growing regions have all been affected - some much worse than others," said Ray Gilmer, director of public affairs for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association in Maitland, FL. "It passed through DeSoto, Hardee and Hendry counties, including through Devil's Garden. It continued its eastern path across Belle Glade and Clewiston. These areas are all big in tomato production. Product that was close to harvest was likely blown off the vine, and what was not blown away was hammered pretty badly. Tomato crops simply cannot tolerate winds of 100 miles per hour. In fact, they can't tolerate 70-mile-per-hour winds without some serious damage resulting."
Tomato prices would rise at retail if a shortage occurs due to the storm. For those in the tomato industry, that harkens back to the situation that occurred following Hurricane Charley in 2004. A large percentage of the Florida tomato crop was destroyed during that storm, causing prices at retail to jump to as high as $5 per pound. But even after the crop recovered, prices did not fall proportionately. Ultimately, growers were unable to sell product even at rock-bottom prices. Many growers left their crops in fields to rot because harvesting would have been more expensive than what they could have sold them for at market.
"It is a much different situation this year," assured Reggie Brown, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee in Maitland. "Hurricane Charley hit much earlier in the year. The combined circumstances included an early finish with California's crop, leaving Florida as the only primary supplier of tomatoes at the time. That shortage is what caused prices to jump so high. This year we will have a good Palmetto-Ruskin crop that was not affected by Hurricane Wilma, and that supply will last through December. Also, California's crop finished late this year, meaning more supply is available. Mexican tomato supplies, which will overlap with Florida's, will last through next March. There won't be a shortage on this year's market to drive prices up."
Keeping market prices on tomatoes where they belong is essential to the health of the business and to keeping consumers buying them without resistance.
Mr. Brown said that early reports out of the Immokalee area indicate that the storm did cause some structural damage to buildings such as barns and pump covers, but there were no indications that packinghouses or other production systems suffered major damage.
"Generators are being restarted, and farmers are finding more creative ways to regain communications - at least until phone and electric lines are back in full operation," said Mr. Brown. "We know that those professionals with the utilities companies are doing their best to get things repaired and moving again. We extend our gratitude to them, and we wish them the very best in this challenging time."
Florida citrus may not have fared as well as tomatoes from Hurricane Wilma's winds and rains, however. Early reports from Florida Citrus Mutual, the state's largest citrus growers group, suggest that up to 15 percent of the citrus in Florida's Hendry and Collier counties was blown off the trees. The counties combined have approximately 130,000 acres of citrus groves.
On Oct. 26, the Florida Department of Citrus issued an emergency meeting announcement for the following morning to discuss emergency rulemaking to lower maturity requirements for oranges and grapefruit by 10 percent to allow for utilization of hurricane-impacted fruit. Florida Citrus Processors requested the meeting.
On Oct. 26, Florida Agriculture & Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson toured Homestead and Labelle to meet with growers and assess agricultural damage from Hurricane Wilma. His schedule included a visit to Kerry's Bromeliads, a major nursery operation in Homestead. He was also scheduled to tour citrus, sugarcane and vegetable fields affected by Hurricane Wilma.
On Wednesday, Oct. 26, Mr. Heller told The Produce News that early reports indicated that crops in the Ft. Meyers, FL, region fared about the same as those in Palmetto and Ruskin, but he added that crop surveys had not yet been completed in these areas.
"Immokalee [FL] is a different story," he said. "There is definitely more excitement coming out of that area. A hurricane this late in the season is something that the industry hasn't dealt with in the past, so we are just now learning how the plants responded to the winds and rain. We do expect to harvest a crop in the area, however. It may just be lighter than originally planned."
Mr. Heller added that Pacific Tomato Growers' customers should be assured that the company would not suffer tomato supply shortages this season due to the storm. The company's growing regions in Mexico will more than compensate for any potential losses suffered in Florida.
"Our partnerships in Mexico are hedged for exactly this reason," he said. "The strength of our company is in the fact that regardless of unforeseen situations such as Hurricane Wilma, we will have ample product to supply all of our customers. The Mexican crop looks good, and we will be shipping on schedule."
Most telephone lines at growers' offices in the Immokalee area were still out of service Oct. 26, and cell phone calls were going directly to voice mail because signal towers were inoperable. The majority of people were still without water, which has repair priority over telephone lines or electric service. It was therefore difficult to get first-hand and specific reports on damage done to tomato and other vegetable farms.
Hurricane Wilma came ashore in what growers said was the worst possible time in the fall growing season and at the worst possible region in the state. The tomato crops in the area were only a short time away from initial harvests.
"The primary southern Florida growing regions have all been affected - some much worse than others," said Ray Gilmer, director of public affairs for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association in Maitland, FL. "It passed through DeSoto, Hardee and Hendry counties, including through Devil's Garden. It continued its eastern path across Belle Glade and Clewiston. These areas are all big in tomato production. Product that was close to harvest was likely blown off the vine, and what was not blown away was hammered pretty badly. Tomato crops simply cannot tolerate winds of 100 miles per hour. In fact, they can't tolerate 70-mile-per-hour winds without some serious damage resulting."
Tomato prices would rise at retail if a shortage occurs due to the storm. For those in the tomato industry, that harkens back to the situation that occurred following Hurricane Charley in 2004. A large percentage of the Florida tomato crop was destroyed during that storm, causing prices at retail to jump to as high as $5 per pound. But even after the crop recovered, prices did not fall proportionately. Ultimately, growers were unable to sell product even at rock-bottom prices. Many growers left their crops in fields to rot because harvesting would have been more expensive than what they could have sold them for at market.
"It is a much different situation this year," assured Reggie Brown, manager of the Florida Tomato Committee in Maitland. "Hurricane Charley hit much earlier in the year. The combined circumstances included an early finish with California's crop, leaving Florida as the only primary supplier of tomatoes at the time. That shortage is what caused prices to jump so high. This year we will have a good Palmetto-Ruskin crop that was not affected by Hurricane Wilma, and that supply will last through December. Also, California's crop finished late this year, meaning more supply is available. Mexican tomato supplies, which will overlap with Florida's, will last through next March. There won't be a shortage on this year's market to drive prices up."
Keeping market prices on tomatoes where they belong is essential to the health of the business and to keeping consumers buying them without resistance.
Mr. Brown said that early reports out of the Immokalee area indicate that the storm did cause some structural damage to buildings such as barns and pump covers, but there were no indications that packinghouses or other production systems suffered major damage.
"Generators are being restarted, and farmers are finding more creative ways to regain communications - at least until phone and electric lines are back in full operation," said Mr. Brown. "We know that those professionals with the utilities companies are doing their best to get things repaired and moving again. We extend our gratitude to them, and we wish them the very best in this challenging time."
Florida citrus may not have fared as well as tomatoes from Hurricane Wilma's winds and rains, however. Early reports from Florida Citrus Mutual, the state's largest citrus growers group, suggest that up to 15 percent of the citrus in Florida's Hendry and Collier counties was blown off the trees. The counties combined have approximately 130,000 acres of citrus groves.
On Oct. 26, the Florida Department of Citrus issued an emergency meeting announcement for the following morning to discuss emergency rulemaking to lower maturity requirements for oranges and grapefruit by 10 percent to allow for utilization of hurricane-impacted fruit. Florida Citrus Processors requested the meeting.
On Oct. 26, Florida Agriculture & Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson toured Homestead and Labelle to meet with growers and assess agricultural damage from Hurricane Wilma. His schedule included a visit to Kerry's Bromeliads, a major nursery operation in Homestead. He was also scheduled to tour citrus, sugarcane and vegetable fields affected by Hurricane Wilma.
