THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 16, 1996 TAG: 9609160029
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RALEIGH LENGTH: 54 lines
Hurricane Fran has caused more than $616 million in damage to North Carolina's agriculture industry, and that figure should go higher as inland flooding continues, Agriculture Commissioner Jim Graham says.
Heavy rains and dam outflows last week along the Neuse and Roanoke rivers were expected to cause more trouble for farmers. More rain was forecast for today.
``This flooding right now sure isn't helping it any. It's a great concern of ours,'' Graham said after figures were released Wednesday night.
The preliminary figure is more than three times greater than the $179 million in damage from Hurricane Bertha, which hit the state on July 12.
According to figures from 28 counties ranging from the North Carolina-South Carolina border at New Hanover County to Granville County, the hurricane resulted in $616.15 million in agricultural damage.
Fran rolled through earlier this month, walloping the Carolina coast before turning inland and dissipating into heavy rains. Some 1.7 million businesses and homes lost electricity during the storm.
Crops suffered $337.45 million in damage, while livestock and poultry losses totaled $3.70 million according to the preliminary figures from the state Department of Agriculture. There also was $275 million in forestry, equipment, facilities and land damage, department spokesman Jim Knight said.
North Carolina, the nation's No. 1 tobacco producer, has harvested most of its crop already, though some has rotted in the days following the storm because of lost power in curing barns. The corn crop, mostly hog feed, was ready for harvest just when Fran hit. And most of the state's cotton - in the middle of its $800 million annual growing season - has yet to be harvested.
The projected loss of corn was set at $54.18 million with 226,000 of 930,000 acres affected. Cotton losses were expected to be about $55.12 million with 143,000 of 735,000 acres damaged, and tobacco losses were expected to be about $185 million with 62,000 of 273,000 acres damaged.
Cotton and soybean damage dollar figures may be slightly high, but acreage damage figures would be lower, Knight said.
Graham said the effects of the damage would be felt by the consumer. ILLUSTRATION: Color ASSOCIATED PRESS photos
Above, Bill Navey of Burgaw takes a look at the remains of Surf City
Pier along with other sightseers Sunday afternoon. President Clinton
also took a look Saturday at areas damaged by Hurricane Fran. Below,
Clinton meets FEMA Director James Lee Witt, left, and Gov. James B.
Hunt Jr. The president announced $5 million in federal emergency
relief to the state for repairing highways and bridges.
KEYWORDS: HURRICANE FRAN DAMAGE NORTH CAROLINA by CNB