California’s Lingering Rains, Cold Weather Impacting Crops With Mixed Results

H Mart opens a new location in Irvine, Calif., on Jan. 11, 2023. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Unseasonably cool California weather this spring—along with persistently saturated soil from so much rainfall—is delaying growth in some crops and increasing susceptibility to fungus, according to experts, which could mean less availability and potentially higher prices at the grocery store.

Powdery mildew and fungal diseases thrive on excess moisture and farmers across the state are now preparing for preventative treatments this summer following an unusually wet winter.

“As the wet conditions continue, mildew ... has become a growing concern for growers, and the delays in the season may put vineyards at risk ... toward the end of harvest,” Natalie Collins, president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. “Despite these setbacks, growers are grateful for … sufficient water supply this year.”

Farmers, up and down the state, have been restricted from using heavy machinery for such things as tilling, planting, and weed management due to still-saturated fields delaying crops in some cases.

Farmers in Los Banos, Calif., plant seeds on Oct. 20, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

As the third most valuable crop in the state valued at approximately $5 billion annually, almond trees require significant water to thrive, and lingering drought led to the removal of thousands of acres in the past year, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

This year’s rain has growers hopeful the industry can be rejuvenated.

Almond farms in the Central Valley anticipate a drop in yields this season, due to cold weather delaying growth, fewer bees affecting pollination rates, and rains destroying blossoms.

“Yields are expected to be the lowest in years, with variation observed across varieties and orchard locations,” according to the annual almond forecast report (pdf) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released on May 12. “Farmers are still evaluating their orchards for signs of disease and applying fertilizer and pest treatments as needed.”

Stone fruit producers like those that grow peaches, plums, and apricots, report similar concerns, though their flower losses were smaller than the almond trees, according to reports.

Bags of avocados are displayed on a shelf at a Costco store in Novato, Calif., on Feb. 10, 2023. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

On the other hand, avocados—which like so much wet weather—should be plentiful.

“Avocados will be exceptionally high quality this year, as soils are deeply saturated with clean rainwater,” April Aymami—industry affairs manager at the California Avocado Commission—told The Epoch Times. “The consistency of rain this year will allow for larger fruit ... and farmers are grateful for the replenishment, as water supply was an ongoing concern during years of drought.”

The quality of water makes a notable difference in crop development, and that delivered by the storms will help avocado tree growth that will likely also bring higher yields next year, according to Aymami.

With a series of atmospheric rivers from December until March pouring down on California causing more than $1 billion in damage overall, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, flood damage to fields and crops in the state has a national impact.

The Golden State grows more than 75 percent of the country’s fruits and nuts and more than a third of its vegetables, and is the leading agricultural producer in the United States—with $51 billion in sales in 2021, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.