ORLANDO, Fla. — Hurricane Ian induced as a lot as $1.8 billion in damages to Florida agriculture final month, state agriculture officers mentioned.
The Category 4 storm induced between $1.1 billion and $1.8 billion in losses to the state’s crops and agriculture infrastructure when it tore by way of the peninsula after touchdown in southwest Florida, in accordance to a preliminary estimate launched Monday by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The company’s estimate was in the identical vary as a University of Florida preliminary estimate launched final week that put Florida’s agriculture loss as high as $1.5 billion.
Crop damage ranged from $686 million to $1.2 billion. The greatest losses got here from citrus which had damages between $416 million and $675 million, the Department of Agriculture report mentioned. The hurricane hit virtually at the beginning of the citrus rising season in Florida, which produces about 60% of all of the citrus consumed within the U.S.
Not solely did citrus growers lose fruit that was blown off bushes, however they now face the prospect of broken bushes from flooding. The loss may quantity to as a lot as 11% of citrus bushes, the report mentioned. Even earlier than the hurricane, Florida’s orange manufacturing was predicted to be down by virtually a 3rd this season due to the lethal citrus greening illness.
When it comes to non-citrus vegetables and fruit, Florida misplaced an estimated $153.7 million to $230.5 million, or round 10% to 15% of crops, simply as the planting season was moving into full gear. Many fields misplaced plastic and drip-tape irrigation and different infrastructure, the report mentioned.