Most of the damage, Crawford said, has been to winter vegetables and strawberries. And the problem is compounded with the present weather pattern forecasted to continue well into the spring.
Citrus appears to have sustained little damage, but assessments are only now taking place.
The cutback in production undoubtedly will result in higher prices for fresh fruits and vegetables in the supermarkets, both in Florida and throughout the nation, he said. The fact that California has suffered even more crop damage than Florida from winter storms suggests that retail prices may remain high for a while. In addition to crop damage, Crawford noted that Florida cattle are under extreme stress this winter due to flooded pastures and shortage of feed. Cattle operations in Florida's major cattle-producing region, which runs from Suwannee to Hendry counties down the center of the state, are largely covered with water. Feeding stranded animals has become difficult because of flooded farm roads.