Kern County farmers say last weekend’s rain walloped the region’s table grape and tomato crops. Almonds appear to have sustained damage that may or may not be manageable. Table grapes are Kern’s top-grossing crop, accounting for more than $1.8 billion in revenue to local growers in 2021, according to county records. Almonds ranked fourth at almost $1.2 billion, while tomatoes came in 15th at $75 million.
Tropical Storm Hilary brought record rain on Sunday, raising risks of nut discoloration or, in the case of grapes, burst skins. At worst, crops will face possible fungus and rot. One grower called the rain damage ‘a catastrophic thing that we’re all going to deal with here’.
Almonds still on the tree should fare well, but those that have already been shaken loose during recent harvesting work are already turning into compost, in part because of warmth that has set in since the rains. Grapes appear to have suffered the most. Rain-related damage hit growers from the Grapevine all the way north to Fresno County. Some growers estimate the losses at between 30% and 50%.
Source: bakersfield.com
