Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, November 19, 1994 TAG: 9411210024
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: MIAMI LENGTH: Medium
``Right now, much of America's Thanksgiving dinner is under water,'' said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Bob Crawford. ``This is our prime winter production season.''
South Florida supplies about half of the country's winter produce. High winds from Tropical Storm Gordon shredded thousands of acres of leafy vegetable crops like lettuce and celery, and its torrential rains washed away other crops such as squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, eggplants and potatoes.
Wholesale vegetable prices already have shot up, according to state Agriculture Department spokesman Bob Blankenship. A bushel of peppers that sold for $10.95 last week was going for $30 on Thursday.
Crawford has asked Gov. Lawton Chiles to seek a disaster declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
``We're going to need a swift, federal response if we are going to salvage some of these crops,'' he said.
Florida farmers are assessing damage in swamplike fields of mud and wilting crops.
``We've easily lost 30 percent in vegetables,'' said Ed Hamilton, general manager of A. Duda & Sons, the largest produce company in the Southeast.
The hardest-hit area was south of Miami in Homestead, the same community torn apart two years ago by Hurricane Andrew.
Paul Di Mare, who has more than 5,000 acres of corn, squash, beans and other produce, said Gordon's damage was worse than Andrew's because most crops weren't planted when Andrew hit.
``It's replant,'' Blankenship said. ``That is the farmer's next step. He clears it off, plants it up and prays again.''
Only citrus growers escaped the storm relatively unscathed. Ken Kennedy, owner and president of United Indian River Packers Inc., said Gordon would cause brief delays in harvesting that shouldn't result in higher prices.
Frank McCormick, owner of Indian River Orchard, said a rainy season can sometimes help make sweeter fruit.
``It's good for the fruit as far as the quality and taste,'' he said. ``But we don't need any more. We're ready to start harvesting.''
by CNB