Following yesterday's reports of chilly temperatures and even snow in parts of Texas and Florida, some gaps and short-term delays in harvesting in both regions are expected ahead.
"This weather is going to delay harvest as it has for the last two days. It's just not good conditions for harvest," says Dante Galeazzi, CEO and president of the Texas International Produce Association, who noted while Edinburg for instance was 25°F as of 6:30 a.m., the day warmed up to reach highs of mid-50s. "Some areas got as cold as 21°F and some no colder than 28°F–it just depended on where you were at." Temperatures close to the Rio Grande river and the coast were warmer but all of it is far from the average temperature on this day which is approximately 74°F.
The gap is expected to be on commodities in south Texas such as leafy greens including spinach, collard greens, mustards, cilantros, and parsleys. "If there is any damage on the product, it's going to be a few days before we can assess for things such as leaf burn," says Galeazzi. "We're watching items that have a lot of water content in them such as celery. However, a lot of factors go into determining how much of this product is still available, if there is damage, and ultimately, what the gap looks like."
Hold on logistics
On top of that, the state has also seen logistic delays. "A lot of Texas is not used to these temperatures or conditions and I know a lot of heavy equipment operators who simply didn't run yesterday because of concerns of ice on the road," says Galeazzi, adding that there were reports of snow in Houston and Dallas. However, those logistic delays are also anticipated to be just in the short term.
In Florida, Neil Mazal of East Coast Farms & Vegetables notes that the Panhandle yesterday morning saw a hard freeze with snow even further south, north of Lake Okeechobee. "There, the temperatures were in the 30s and they anticipated some freezing-level temperatures," he says. "As we get into the middle of next week, the weather pattern doesn't look to be improving for harvest. We've had rain for several days, even into south Florida."
Logistics is also a concern for moving produce around and out of parts of Florida. Photo: U.S. National Weather Service
The cold Florida temperatures have impacted the harvesting of strawberries, a crop that is gearing up supply levels for Valentine's Day, a holiday strongly associated with the berry. "It's been cold and we have had rain for the past few days. Hopefully, the rain will move through by tomorrow and we can get back to picking," says Robert Wilhelm of Bova Fresh, adding that the temperatures are expected to stay on the cooler side for up to the next seven days.
Getting into fields
The weather is also impacting products such as corn. "Harvest machinery can't get in the field when it's muddy and the soil is saturated. Even the corn folks in Belle Glade can't get equipment into the field because they're on soft ground. You have to sit out until the ground absorbs the water," says Mazal.
Meanwhile, peppers are also seeing a harvest delay given that peppers don't do well harvesting immediately after rains. "The pods tend to get water in them and it takes time for the plant to reabsorb the water. Farms usually give the plant a day or two to reabsorb the water," he says, noting this is happening during a time when the pepper market is depressed. Prices recently went from the high $30 range to $15/box.
In addition, snow and cold temperatures also add to bloom drops if plants such as pepper, squash, and cucumbers are in the early stages of production. Those bloom drops are also likely to cause gaps in production.
Windy conditions too
There are also concerns in Florida with wind. "Extremely windy weather with this cold also creates issues such as scarring which impacts retail-quality product," he says, noting that for instance the super select cucumbers preferred by retail could be moved to simply select grade cucumbers.
Logistics is also a concern for moving produce around and out of parts of Florida. "Trucks are not moving when these roads are iced up and there are six to eight inches of snow on the ground, even though snow plows are out there trying to clear it," says Mazal. "Trucks are either delayed in transit or are having issues trying to get where they are going or are involved in accidents."
However, as he points out, all of this weather is happening when demand is slow at the moment for produce items. Not only is January generally a slower month for movement given consumers are paying off holiday bills, but the cold, snowy, and icy temperatures across the country have kept consumers home rather than out shopping.
For more information:
Dante Galeazzi
Texas International Produce Association
https://texipa.org/
Robert Wilhelm
Bova Fresh
robert@bovafresh.com
Neil Mazal
East Coast Farms & Vegetables
https://www.eastcoastfarms.us/