USDA TO ASSESS WILMA’S CITRUS DAMAGE

In the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma, which struck Florida Oct. 24, the Florida Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service announced plans to conduct a special citrus survey to assess current crop conditions.

The survey, will recount the fruit on sample trees in the areas affected by the hurricane. The updated average, along with indications of fruit size and droppage, will be used to produce a utilized production forecast for USDA’s December Crop Production report, to be released Dec. 9.

“Although the eye of Hurricane Wilma passed to the south of the major citrus producing areas of the state, it was such a large storm that the effects have been observed well to the north of Wilma’s path,” Benjamin Klugh Jr., director of the NASS Florida Field Office reported. “Crews will be busy measuring the effects of the storm throughout the Southern and East Coast regions of the Florida Citrus Belt.”

Topics Florida