Peach crops devastated by unprecedented weather

Georgia’s peaches are reeling from the devastating impact of wild weather swings, wreaking havoc on crops and causing significant losses for farmers.

Entire orchards have been wiped out or severely damaged, with losses projected to reach 95%.

Despite being known as the “Peach State” and typically yielding over 130 million pounds of fruit annually, Georgia is experiencing one of the worst years for the harvest since 1955.

This year the state did not experience enough cold hours. Warm winter caused many peach trees to bloom earlier than expected and back-to-back freezes in March affected these early blooms, worsening the situation.

Oranges are pricer 
Florida’s citrus industry is also facing a decline due to bad weather and the spread of greening disease. Hurricane winds and disease epidemics have damaged orange trees, leading to a 20-year decline in citrus production, with prices already rising by 17% since 2022.

Extreme weather impacting grains and soybean
The US Midwest is experiencing the worst drought since 2012, threatening newly-seeded corn and soybean crops in the American farm belt. Due to current climate conditions, wheat regions and the global food system are also at risk.

Is the shortage going to continue?
Record-breaking heat waves, droughts and floods have become increasingly common globally, impacting food production, supply chains and livelihoods. The last decade has witnessed several episodes of crop production shortfalls in major cropping areas across the globe.

East Africa endured its fourth consecutive year of drought, putting millions at risk of famine. Europe and China experienced extreme droughts, affecting food transport, while heavy rains caused severe flooding in Nigeria, the US corn belt, and submerged a significant portion of Pakistan’s rice crop.