Weather threatens Ga. blueberry, peach crops

Below-freezing temperatures pose million-dollar risk.

Georgia fruit farmers face the potential loss of millions of dollars in crops as a late-winter freeze threatens the state, top agriculture officials.

State Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black said Tuesday that blueberry and peach farmers in particular are at risk.

“They’re telling me this morning that 60 percent of the rabbit-eye blueberries and then even some portions of the highbush could get pounded tonight,” Black said.

Georgia leads the country in blueberry production. A freeze warning was to take effect Tuesday night for most of Middle and North Georgia, and it was expected to last until 11 a.m. today.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom McCall, R-Elberton, said peach farmers are also concerned.

“Farmers north of Macon had been preparing a bumper crop and were almost naming their own prices,” McCall said.

Now, those farmers could see fruit freeze overnight, while farmers south of Macon have struggled with not enough cool weather, he said.

Black said it remains to be seen whether the state’s Vidalia onion crop is harmed by the freeze.

“Onions are a little more resilient,” he said. “I’m not ready to comment on that. We’ll wait and see.”

There’s not much that can be done to help farmers, Black said, except pray for warmer weather.

“There are prayer meetings all over South Georgia,” he said. “We’ll be asking the Lord to protect us.”