Actualidad nacional e internacional
Mar. 22, 2023![](https://chilealimentos.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/california_flooded_strawberries_699px.jpg)
California: Industria de la frutilla señala daños preliminares de US$ 200 millones por inundaciones
Recent flooding in California has caused estimated hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to strawberry farms, according to industry leaders.
California Strawberry Commission experts say it is too early to tally the full scope of the destruction, and weather forecasters predict continued rainfall across growing regions through the week. Nevertheless, early estimates offer a glimpse into the flooding’s impacts.
The industry has faced two major rounds of flooding this year. The first big storms hit in January, battering fields from Ventura County in Southern California up to Santa Cruz County in the north.
The majority of farms hit by the January storms — representing about 31,852 strawberry acres — came out OK with minor storm damage. In fact, the rain was a welcome change from the drought for many farms.
«The rain washes the soil and improves plant health,» said Rick Tomlinson, the commission’s president.
Some farms, however, experienced «catastrophic conditions,» according to the commission. About 350 strawberry acres faced severe erosion, with floodwaters sweeping away plants and topsoil. About 1,840 total acres were seriously damaged. The commission estimates losses — to crops, property and equipment — could reach $200 million.
The Pajaro and Salinas rivers flooded, causing estimated hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Jeff Cardinale, a spokesman for the California Strawberry Commission, estimated about 20% of the strawberry farms near the Pajaro and Salinas rivers were damaged.
It is too early to assess crop impacts, said Cardinale. Some plants will likely survive after the water has receded and will be able to produce strawberries again.
Some fields, however, have been «wiped out,» meaning they will not produce strawberries this season. Growers will need to reshape and replant those fields.
The market impacts are not yet clear. Because the January storms destroyed a small fraction of total strawberry acreage, the commission projects a «good» crop outlook despite storm damage. And although the March flooding damaged about 20% of the farms near the Pajaro and Salinas rivers, Cardinale pointed out that 80% of farms are OK.
Additionally, growers in Oxnard and Santa Maria, major strawberry-growing regions, generally did not face serious storm damage and are continuing to produce strawberries with average crop volumes.
Beyond crop impacts, the flooding has also had tragic human consequences.
Shortly after midnight on March 11, a Northern California community called Pajaro — famous for its strawberries — was forced to evacuate after floodwaters breached the Pajaro River’s levee.
More than 8,500 people evacuated, including about 1,700 residents of Pajaro, many of them Latino farmworkers.
«The field workers evacuated, most overnight, with what they could grab at a moment’s notice. When they’re coming back to their homes, they’re finding homes with flood damage, vehicles damaged. … They have a tough road ahead of them,» said Cardinale.
Industry leaders say they hope the flooding’s aftermath does not lead farmworkers to move away, rupturing the agricultural economy.
Tomlinson, of the commission, said community members and farmers will «work together to recover.»
Capitalpress/March 21, 2023
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