Rick Tomlinson, President of the California Strawberry Commission released a statement regarding the flooding in the Parajo community and along the Salinas RIver.
Photo Credit: California Strawberry Commission
“This week’s flooding events along the Pajaro and Salinas Rivers have been devastating for those communities. Preliminary assessments estimate hundreds of millions in losses and thousands of people displaced in the town of Pajaro” said Tomlinson.
Strawberry crops were some of the most affected by the levee failure in the Salinas river on March 11, which flooded a big part of the Southern side of the valley.
The series of atmospheric river sthat have hit California in early 2023 came at the “worst possible time” for strawberry farmers in this region. “Farmers had borrowed money to prepare the fields and were weeks away from beginning to harvest. Disaster relief and emergency financial assistance will be critical for both the residential community and the farming operations,” said Tomlinson.
According to the California Strawberry Commission, strawberries grow along the California coast on about 35,000 acres, producing 90% of America’s strawberries.
Although it is uncertain how severely this year's harvests will be impacted, strawberry prices will almost certainly increase
