South Florida farmers are assessing damage after freezing temperatures swept through the region early Monday morning, warning that the cold could soon push up prices for fruits and vegetables.
At Kern Carpenter Nursery, owner Kern Carpenter said nearly 20% of his tomato crop was damaged by the overnight freeze.
“The wind died, and it got cold really fast. We did the best we could and still got burned,” Carpenter said.
Sam Accursio, a green bean farmer, shared a video showing frost covering his plants just before sunrise.
“These plants were just like an ice cube. You could go up to them, and the leaves were crunchy,” Accursio said. Despite watering crops before 1 a.m. to prevent frost damage, hundreds of plants were still affected.
With another cold night forecasted, farmers are preparing for more potential losses.
“They’re saying upper 30s, low 40s. We’re hoping we don’t have to crank up anything again,” Carpenter said, noting that excess watering can also harm crops.
At Robert Is Here, a popular South Florida fruit market, shoppers may soon notice higher prices. Owner Robert Moehling Jr. said:
“100% you are going to feel it in the market. With the frost, it can cause damage, and having continuous days of frost makes it worse.”
Accursio added that green bean prices are especially vulnerable.
“In this particular case, the lack of product will probably drive the price up,” he said.
Some farmers say South Florida could help offset shortages caused by freeze damage in North and Central Florida. Carpenter said he has already seen tomato prices rise and expects further increases if the cold persists.
“I would think in the next few weeks the prices would go up,” he said.
Farmers estimate it will take 48 to 72 hours to fully assess the extent of the damage while bracing for another cold night.