By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-883780.mp3
Tallahassee, FL –
Florida farmers are still calculating the full extent of damage from last month's record cold temperatures. Agriculture officials say the damage could approach $700-million.
The 13-day cold snap did substantial damage to the orange groves of Central Florida. Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson says citrus, tomato and cucumber growers lost about a half-billion dollars worth of crops. The freeze extended into the Everglades, and Bronson says damage in the sugar cane fields could add another $200-million to the total.
"It was as bad as we had hoped it wasn't going to be. But that long period of freezing took that hard stalk of sugar cane and blackened the heart, which means that the sugar amount is way down. So they've lost a tremendous amount of their sugar cane."
Officials are continuing to tally up the losses. They say about 70-percent of the winter tomato crop, 30-percent of the pepper crop and an unknown amount of the squash crop were ruined. Suppliers are turning to Mexico to fill restaurant and store orders.