Hurricane Irma Threatens $1.2 Billion of Florida Crops
- State is the No. 2 fruit, vegetable grower in the U.S.
- Cropland devastation could ‘cripple a lot of communities’
Orange Crop Loss 'Almost Guaranteed,' Says Scoville
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Hurricane Irma is threatening to wreak havoc on Florida farmlands, menacing $1.2 billion worth of production in the top U.S. grower of fresh tomatoes, oranges, green beans, cucumbers, squash and sugarcane.
Though its economy long ago diversified from its rural roots, Florida still has a huge influence on American grocery stores as the No. 2 U.S. produce grower, trailing only California. The state accounts for almost 10 percent of the nation’s land dedicated to fresh fruits and vegetables, according to government data. The storm threat has pushed orange-juice futures and domestic-sugar prices higher this week.