Cold raises produce prices - Montreal Gazette

Cold raises produce prices - Montreal Gazette


Florida weather threatens exports of crops to Canada

By LAURA STONE, Canwest News ServiceJanuary 6, 2010

A Florida deep freeze is driving up citris prices in Canada.

A Florida deep freeze is driving up citris prices in Canada.
Photograph by: From Gazette files,

The effects of a prolonged cold front parked over Florida has driven up some prices in Canadian produce aisles, with more increases likely.

For the past three or four days, the state known for its citrus groves has experienced nighttime temperatures near freezing.

Temperatures in some areas of Central and South Florida are expected to dip to 25 degrees F, or minus 4 degrees C, this week.

"Arctic air - thanks for sending it to us," Terence McElroy, a spokesman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, joked yesterday.

About 10 per cent of Florida's harvest of fruits and vegetables is sent to Canada.

"We ship a sizable per cent of fruits and vegetables up to Canada, particularly this time of year," said McElroy.

"We're kind of the only game in town."

Agriculture is the state's second largest industry after tourism, and brings in some $100 billion a year, he said.

Seasonal temperatures in Florida have hit freezing before, but it's unusual for cold spells to last this long, said McElroy. Relatively frigid temperatures are expected to last until the weekend.

And while it's not yet clear whether crops will be permanently damaged during this days-long Florida freeze, the effect is already being felt among Canadian importers.

"It's driving up the prices. There's less product available out of Florida, so it's creating demand for other areas," such as Mexico, said Mike Pitsikoulis, co-owner of Montreal-based Canadawide Fruit Wholesalers, which also ships throughout Quebec and parts of Ontario.

He said a bushel of green peppers has nearly doubled in price since last week, to $14 from $8.

"They were in a panic mode a little bit, down in Florida. There's no product to load," said Pitsikoulis, who added that chilly temperatures in Texas are also affecting such produce as greens. His company ships to hotels, chain stores Loblaws and Metro, and smaller supermarkets and stores.

Pitsikoulis said most farmers have a limited supply of harvested crops in coolers. "If there is a hard freeze, we'll notice the damage in about a week or two," he said.

Yesterday, the Florida state agricultural commissioner asked Governor Charlie Crist to issue an emergency order which would lift the weight restrictions on trucks hauling agricultural products, so that farmers could harvest larger amounts. Crist was expected to sign the order by early evening, said McElroy, added that farmers are keeping crops well irrigated and covering them to stay warm.