The State of Georgia Peaches, One Year After Worst Season
Last year was a dismal one for Georgia peaches. Georgia typically produces more than 130 million pounds of peaches annually, according to the University of Georgia. But, that number dipped greatly in 2023. So, what’s the state of Georgia peaches one year after its worst season ever?
Georgia Peaches Last Year
Georgia lost more than 90% of their crops for 2023 after unusually warm weather during the 2022-2023 winter and a late-season freeze. These numbers are according to Dario Chavez, an associate professor of Horticulture at the University of Georgia, who spoke with CNN about the bad season. When it comes to peaches, according to CNN, California actually produces the most peaches in America, followed by South Carolina and Georgia. California actually grows four times more peaches than Georgia and South Carolina combined.
So, what happened last year with the peach crop, and why was it so bad? “The problem was exacerbated when late-season cold temperatures swept across the Southeast,” CNN reports. Some varieties of peaches were already blooming in March, but then “the freeze damaged and destroyed a number of the early flowers,” they added. It’s wild to think about just how many peach crops got destroyed. It’s heartbreaking, so farmers are hoping for a turnaround in the coming seasons. However, Brad Rippey, a meteorologist with the US Department of Agriculture, tells CNN that “warm winters followed by a spring freeze have become more common in recent years.”
Georgia Peaches This Year
Thankfully, this year appears to be a different story. Ajc.com reports that “a late cold snap appears to have spared Georgia’s blueberries, peaches and citrus after a disastrous season last year.” Moreover, Will McGehee, marketing director for Georgia Peach Council, tells Ajc.com that they have a “full crop” and are “about as excited about this crop as we’ve ever been.”
But, we’re not out of the woods yet. Research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that winters in Georgia have been getting warmer, and that, in the long-term, could influence the kind of fruit farmers are able to grow in the state. When the winters are too farm, the plants don’t have the “chill hours” they need and can blossom early. So, if a freeze happens, even if it’s not a late-season freeze, it can kill plants, because those plants have started blooming too soon. Still, as long as there isn’t a late frost coming this year, it appears 2024 will be a good one for Georgia peaches and other seasonal fruits.
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