According to forecasters, Tropical Storm Idalia will hit Florida as a major hurricane tomorrow. In Cuba, thousands of people had to be evacuated yesterday as the tropical storm slammed the western part of the country. Idalia is expected to strengthen into a powerful hurricane today, before making landfall in Florida tomorrow.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents during a news conference yesterday and issued evacuation orders for 21 counties. This time of year, a hurricane in Florida could potentially be devastating for the state’s citrus industry.
Source: National Hurricane Center
Franklin
While Hurricane Idalia is making its way to Florida, Hurricane Franklin got stronger overnight on Monday, about 490 miles southwest of the Bahamas. In the Dominican Republic, the storm made a destructive impact, especially in the northern part. Preliminary data suggests that crop destruction will surpass 1 billion pesos, according to the Dominican Today. Heavy rainfall caused flooding in rice and banana plantations, leading to rivers overflowing.
To mitigate losses, the Price Stabilization Institute (Inespre) purchased over a million bananas from producers in Azua, aiming to prevent further waste and support producers. Both organic and conventional bananas will be sold at 1 peso each in Inespre’s programs. The director of Inespre also mentioned the delivery of more than 2,000 food rations to storm-affected areas. Inespre will continue inspecting other parts of the country that require assistance.
FreshPlaza will provide updates on the impact on the produce industry as more information becomes available.