Those string of cold nights in California around January 10-15 should not adversely affect strawberry shipments from the state. That’s the good news. The bad news for produce haulers is, like so many other crops, strawberry volume is pretty light this time of the year.
Growers in Ventura County and the Santa Maria distrist implemented frost protection measures, keeping the damage to a minimal. There was use of wind machines, spraying strawberry fields with water and, in some cases, helicopters hovered above the crop to mitigate damage.
One major strawberry shipper, California Giant Inc., reports its shipments could be reduced by 15 percent due to freeze damage to its crop.
Temperatures are expected to return closer to normal in the second half of January. Meanwhile, the shipping gap on strawberries is expected the week of January 21.
On a higher note, fruit that is scheduled for shipping the busy Valentine’s Day period should benefit from the cold, because of the stage of dormacy the plants were in during the weather. This should make the plants hardy when it is time for picking.
Growers in Ventura County and the Santa Maria District who did not protect crops and suffered damage will likely be set back up to four weeks.
Southern California strawberries and other produce – grossing about $4700 to Atlanta.