Freezing temperatures across a wide swath of Mexico the night of Feb. 3-4 have made a big impact in available fresh produce. Expect the effects to be felt in your supermarket any day now.
From The Packer Feb 4th, 2011
By Andy Nelson
The freeze reached fields as far south as southern Sinaloa. Crops in the border state of Sonora could be devastated.
“The last time there was a freeze of this severity was 1957,” said Jerry Wagner, director of sales and marketing for Nogales, Ariz.-based Farmer’s Best. “It’s still too early to tell, but there’s a lot of damage.”
All of the growing regions Farmer’s Best ships from suffered freezing temperatures, Wagner said. The company’s full line of vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash, was likely affected.
One industry veteran told Jesse Driskill, operations manager of the Nogales office of Meyer LLC, that Mexico had not had a freeze like this in 60 years.
What made this one even worse, Driskill said, is that forecasts were 5 to 10 degrees higher than what temperatures wound up being. Many growers took precautions, he said, but they did not harvest early because they did not expect it to get so cold.
…
From the Digital Journal
Mexico loses 80-100% of crops to freeze, US prices to skyrocket
Houston – The cold weather experienced across much of the US in early February made its way deep into Mexico and early reports estimate 80-100 percent crop losses which are having an immediate impact on prices at US grocery stores with more volatility to come.
Wholesale food suppliers have already sent notices to supermarket retailers describing the produce losses in Mexico and the impact shoppers can expect. Sysco sent out a release(pdf) this week stating the early February freeze reached as far south as Los Mochis and south of Culiacan, both located in the state of Sinaloa, along the Gulf of California. The freezing temperatures were the worst the region has seen since 1957. According to Sysco’s notice sent out this week:
“The early reports are still coming in but most are showing losses of crops in the range of 80 to 100%. Even shade house product was hit by the extremely cold temps. It will take 7-10 days to have a clearer picture frome growers and field supervisors, but these growing regions haven’t had cold like this in over half a century.”
At this time of year, Mexico is a major supplier to the US and Canada for green beans, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, asparagus, peppers and round and Roma tomatoes. Compounding the problem is the freezing cold that hit Florida in December and January. Sysco continued with its dire report:
“Florida normally is a major supplier for these items as well but they have already been struck with severe freeze damage in December and January and up until now have had to purchase product out of Mexico to fill their commitments, that is no longer an option.”
Validating that statement, The Packer released a statement at the end of December stating:
“Freeze damage to Florida crops could increase demand for Mexican vegetables for the rest of winter, grower-shippers say.”
That December report noted Florida’s cold temperatures and crop loss but was optimistic over Mexico’s produce, even if prices were climbing. “My gut feeling tells me the Mexican deal is going to be very active,” said Ken Maples, sales manager for Plantation Produce in Mission, Texas, according to The Packer.
Discover more from Watts Up With That?
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Many of us have been trying to get people to start home gardens for their own food security, even a small styrofoam box indoors near a window in winter, will give you some food, and its going to be fresh, no chem if youre smart, and as close to free as the cost of the seeds.
GM free as an extra bonus.
the good thing about disasters like this is it may wake people up to the need for local foods, and to get used to eating less food, but better quality.
That’s hit the corn crop, too, 16% loss according to BBC. Corn in Mexico is like bread in the U.S. Gonna’ hurt.
Meanwhile we’re subsidizing corn for gasohol.
And the UKMO still expect a warming trend. I am waiting for the US cold to extend across the Atlantic. It does seem to be missing the UK at the moment but hitting Norway. I know, from my daughter who lives there, that Spain is cooler than normal.
Food prices will rise everywhere since the US will import from areas which normally supply Europe and you have more money. When will the powers at be realist the extent that bio-ethanol production has on food prices. The most stupid idea since the taxing of CO2.
Hardly what one would expect from global warming…
Prime illustration that it is COLD weather that destroys food production, not warm. The warming that we have had for so long, coupled with agricultural and transportation advances as well as increasing CO2 level have put a bounty of food and food choices on the first worlds tables for years. Cold destroys. Fresh foods will become scarce and expensive in the short run, and depending on continuing weather trends, may continue for the long run.
What will really hurt is a prolonged winter season that affects the summer grain growing season in the north. With just in time inventory control and the diversion of so much of the edible food stocks to fuel production, severe shortages could be a real future.
Jan 3, 2011
Florida produce prices up sharply after early freezes
Full story: Palm Beach Post
Prices for sweet corn, green beans, squash and other vegetables have shot up since December’s historic freezes that battered South Florida farms
“Cold snap hits Mexico maize crop” “A spell of unusually cold weather in northern Mexico has severely damaged the maize crop in the state of Sinaloa.” “Officials estimate the losses could amount to four million tonnes of corn – 16% of Mexico’s annual harvest.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12437862
I’m surprised that the BBC didn’t highlight this event as another unmistakable sign of runaway global warming…
Fear the cold, not the heat. (Unless you live on a volcano.)
Again, warm is better than cold.
I’ve never thought for a second that the AGW hoax would collapse because scientists, politicians, and other vested interests would suddenly become honest and/or rational. A tiger can’t change its stripes. What I’ve hoped for the last ten years is that mother nature would slap down some cold weather to remind people that global warming is something to welcome and if anthropogenic activities are warding off potential global cooling then all the better. For years I’ve been saying that if anthropogenic CO2 isn’t causing global warming there’ll come a day when we will all wish it had been true. The global food supply is not exactly cheap and plentiful but it’s adequate thanks in great part to global warming and an increasingly fertile atmosphere over the past several decades. Any significant drop in food production that persists more than a year or two, which will happen in a cooling climate, is going to be the biggest humanitarian crisis since the Black Death swept through Europe in the 14th century killing 1 of every 3 people.
It’s just weather, nothing to worry about…
Amazing, last frost this bad was over 50 years ago, before the “unprecedented” increase in CO2.
I am so pleased to see this incredibly important news on WUWT. I come from a long line of farmers and most nuclear families in my extended family know how to produce a bounty of vegetables on a half acre of land. Yes, we go to the trouble of actually owning a half acre of land. Of course, the sad news is that vegetable prices really are going to skyrocket and all of us, even here in Florida, are going to suffer nutritionally. You might need to start a home gardener’s page.
I am interested in hearing from Gore, Hansen, Schmidt, and all the usual suspects about this Mexican freeze. Caused by global warming, no doubt. The same thing that has caused three years running of freezes and bizarrely cool and uncomfortable weather in central Florida. The crops here froze in December or January, as reported in the article. We are upon the zenith of the azalea season in central Florida and I bet only the real old timers can remember that event occurring in cold weather.
Initial estimates said up to 80 percent of the crops in Mexico were damaged or destroyed by the freeze. Days later, observation experts scaled back those numbers, although that doesn’t mean the problem isn’t expected to be huge.
The cold weather affected new growth that is going to be coming in March. So in March, you are probably going to see higher prices at the supermarket and less supply at the supermarket, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be produce available. There’s going to be plenty of vegetables to come,” Jungmeyer said.
The good news is, since the freeze, growers have reported seeing positive signs in their crops.
“Each day that’s passed since then, we’re finding that there’s less and less damage. It’s not to say there isn’t any damage but we’re finding that the plants will recuperate and we will see harvests,” Jungmeyer said.
http://www.kgun9.com/Global/story.asp?S=14013532
ozspeaksup says:
February 12, 2011 at 6:22 am
“Many of us have been trying to get people to start home gardens for their own food security, even a small styrofoam box indoors near a window in winter, will give you some food…”
——————————————
No, it won’t!
It will give you a sprig of parsley for your styrofoam pasta.
Agriculture produces food.
Photoshop that image a little bit and you’d get a good Google look-alike.
Fear the enviro’s, not the carbon – for the latter protects and feeds you and keeps you warm, the former wants you dead.
The good news?
Ethanol from corn is exempt from crop damaging weather.
This cold weather won’t affect fuel prices, only food, because ADM has wisely chosen to convert more than 10% of it’s crop land over to corn.
/sarc
There are varying degrees of subsidence farming, but for the most part, unless you have a large area and a decent lighting set-up complete with water, its difficult to grow much more then “fun” stuff inside….mainly herbs and spices that you can use to spice things up so to speak.
Peppers are another choice that is fairly decent inside, but for the true food, I for one rely on outside plants for my gardens, and if its too cold, that too will be effected. There are crops you can grow indoors, but its mostly the novelty plants, and for the rest you need outdoor type setups. Corn for one is something that requires a very finicky set of conditions and although you can fiddle with it a bit if its summer-time for instance with over/under watering and soil conditioning, it does not stop the fact that some plants just do not do well indoors. That is not to say its impossible, but I truly think corn for one is a plant that is nearly impossible to grow indoors.
On the other hand, I typically have corn year-round because I have an extra freezer and I freeze all the corn I harvest…but thats a different story….
No worries- I hear the twinkie plants did ok though.
Extreme warmcold. Stop all CO2 emissions immediately. /sarc
Krugman should be all over this in the next NYT.
ES says:
“So in March, you are probably going to see higher prices at the supermarket and less supply at the supermarket, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be produce available. There’s going to be plenty of vegetables to come,” Jungmeyer said.”
Excuse me, but how does it serve me if there are plenty of vegetables at higher prices? Are you immune to all increases in price? Are you not aware that the supply can be enormous while most people are suffering lower quality nutrition? For example, and there are hundreds, throughout this winter I could have bought all the tomatoes I wanted for a mere $4 per pound. That is more than a dollar per tomato. Do you really expect me to pay that? I have not.
The headline in the New York Times will read “Global Warming causes crop losses not seen since the 50s, says expert”.
What makes this so obscene is that if this were 1973, Hansen, Schneider (RIP), Mann, Gore and the lot would be crying “This is proof of an impending ice age, and man has caused it!”
Their solution would be to geo-engineer a fix, and that fix would be to pump as much CO2 into the atmosphere as possible.
How much worse would this have been if the global temperature were not higher due to global warming? How much more crop damage would there be without the benefit of healthier plants due to higher levels of CO2?
If this same weather occurred in 1957, then you’ll not convince me that it can’t or won’t happen again in 2065. All the more reason to have non-climate dependent energy sources at the ready.
It’s time to bring back the idea of winter vegetables. The following list is good but completely misses the squash family. These hardy gourds, if planted early enough so they mature before the fall freeze kills the vines, can be stored in very cold temperatures and will continue to provide good food and nutrition throughout the winter. If the fall freeze comes early, you can pick them when still a bit green and they will continue to ripen. We designated one room of the house as our gourd room and just put them down on the bare floor. Because these winter veggies are cold tolerant, their prices may stay down compared to the imparted designer veggies we have gotten spoiled on.
http://www.vegetable-gardening-and-greenhouses.com/winter-vegetables.html
imported, I meant imported.