More than $300 Million in crop losses due to drought

FRESNO
January 27, 2009 12:02am

California farm dollar losses because of the drought last year added up to $308.9 million, according to reports from county agricultural commissioners.

The sector with the biggest loss is rangeland, with a loss of $107.9 million. More than 106,000 acres were either unplanted or abandoned.

Vegetables, melons and nursery plants suffered a combined lost of $98.8 million, followed by cotton at $71 million, hay, grain and silage at $30.6 million and orchard and vineyard damage at $600,000/

Fresno County, the state's largest farm products producer, led in losses with nearly $87 million. All of the San Joaquin Valley had losses of @226.1 million – the most of any geographic area.

The San Joaquin Valley losses include all of the cotton and the orchard and vineyard categories. It also comprises the majority of the vegetables, melons and nursery as well as the hay, grain and silage categories. Over $45 million of the rangeland and livestock losses were in San Joaquin Valley region.

Without sufficient rain this winter, the 2009 losses are expected to be higher, the California Department of Food and Agriculture says.

Comments on this story

Alexis 4/14/09 8:23 AM
Good site, admin.