Hurricane Ian caused severe damage to citrus and vegetable crops in some parts of Southwest Florida, according to the agriculture extension agent for the region.
The storm covered about 4-million acres on its path across the state, and it damaged or destroyed all manner of crops along the way, according to people in agriculture.
The damage comes at an especially bad time for Florida citrus. The U.S. Department of Agriculture put out its forecast for Florida citrus, and the numbers, compiled before the storm, were gloomy.
USDA predicts a 32-percent drop in Florida citrus production this season, compared to last year. The prediction likely will get more dire after factoring in the losses from Ian.
"This has torn up plants, killed trees, stripped leaves off other trees," George Winslow, owner of 2,000 acres of citrus groves in Charlotte and Hendry Counties, said.
Winslow said citrus sustained damage from a tornado in Charlotte County last December, and then a hard freeze in late January of 2022. Now the storm has done more damage.
Winslow said the citrus industry already was reeling from foreign competition, plant disease and what he calls over-regulation by the federal government.
"We're going to need a lot of help, and I am not sure that the help is going to come soon enough," Winslow said.
Steve Smith of Gulf Citrus Growers said damage is especially severe in Charlotte and DeSoto Counties. He said fruit that fell to the ground cannot be saved for juicing.
"The oranges have not matured," Smith said. "They cannot be salvaged, they are just gone."
Craig Frey is the agricultural extension agent for the Southwest Florida region. He says vegetable crops were damaged or destroyed. Vegetables make up a key winter-time industry in south Florida. He says smaller growers may not be able to afford to re-plant.
"I've noticed some smaller growers in Lee and Charlotte just had everything gone," Frey said. "They lost the whole farm."
Agricultural losses from Irma five years ago totalled about $2 billion to $2.5 billion statewide, depending on various estimates and what is included in the losses. Former extension agent Gene McAvoy said he would not be surprised if losses from Ian approach those figures, and maybe even top them.
Citrus grower George Winslow said the effects of Ian will help foreign competitors, and, he predicts, speed up the decline of Florida agriculture.
"We have really suffered mightily and the consequences are going to be long-term," he said.
It's hard to predict the effect of storm damage on consumer prices. Some in agriculture have said prices may trend upward in the stores. But they also point out that foreign growers may just send more produce to the U.S. to increase the supply, and offset the loss of Florida fruit and vegetables.