Hurricane Irma caused losses of 50 to 70 percent of Florida’s citrus crop in portions of South Florida, according to the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association. Oranges, grapefruits, strawberries and tomatoes are the hardest hit crops. There is no official reports of economic loss, but it could surpass $100 million, as the value of Florida’s citrus last year exceeded $1 billion. Sugar cane was also hit hard. Last year, sugar cane was valued at over $500 million. A concern is that growers will behave a tough time cleaning up due to lack of workers. Some industry experts speculate that farm laborers may switch to construction.
