USA - Peach harvest in southwestern Michigan nearly wiped out by last winter’s polar vortex

10.06.2019 1968 views

The polar vortex that enveloped much of the Midwest early this year has nearly wiped out the peach crop in southwestern Michigan.

And it’s not just peaches, which Michigan is known for. Some of the region’s apricot, plum and apple crops also might be affected after the blast of polar air plummeted temperatures to minus 20 degrees in late January around the state.

Bill Shane, a tree fruit specialist at Michigan State University, says Michigan’s southwestern counties will suffer millions of dollars in losses from damage to fruit crops. The polar vortex also might have shortened the lifespan of trees that were severely damaged, according to Shane.

Bill Teichman recently inspected his peach trees at Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm, a 500-acre orchard in Eau Claire, Michigan, and found deep, vertical cracks in some of their trunks. Others were bleeding sap. Some were hardly able to produce leaves, Teichman said.

He said he doubts that his peach trees will be able to produce fruit at all this year and that he already can tell that several need to be replaced.

A peach tree in Eau Claire, Michigan, that was badly damaged by last winter’s polar vortex.
A peach tree in Eau Claire, Michigan, that was badly damaged by last winter’s polar vortex.
AP

He also found that some of his apple varieties aren’t bearing fruit, either. He hopes to help cover his losses through an insurance claim.

His farm is still recovering from a late cold snap in 2012 that killed the farm’s peach trees.

“We’ve lost our peach crop twice in the past seven years,” he said.

Ben Smith, who manages Hinkelman Farms in Benton Harbor, Michigan, said some of the farm’s grape varieties were killed. It could take a couple of years before it can get its grapes back to full production, according to Smith.

Source - https://chicago.suntimes.com
11.10.2026

India - Tripura JICA Project, ARDD Conduct Training on Scientific Pig Rearing in Khowai

A two-day capacity-building programme on scientific pig rearing,  livestock health management and livestock insurance was organised at the Chakmaghat Beat Meeting Hall in Khowai on October 7–8 under the Tripura Sustainable Catchment Forest Management Project (SCATFORM), a JICA-assisted initiative of the Forest Department, in collaboration with the Animal Resources Development Department (ARDD).

11.10.2026

Philippines - Iloilo Province sets P82-M emergency fund for water shortages, crop losses

The Iloilo Provincial Government is preparing for a potentially prolonged nine-month drought emergency extending until June 2027, with an P82-million quick response fund on standby as authorities brace for severe water shortages, agricultural losses and other threats from a forecast super El Niño.

11.10.2026

NCAM boss seeks more equipment to curb Nigeria’s post-harvest losses

The Executive Director, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), Julius Oluwamuyiwa Oloro, has called for increased development and fabrication of agricultural preservation equipment to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen Nigeria’s food security.

11.10.2026

Crop nutrient loss threatens public health in Bangladesh

Declining nutritional quality of food crops, combined with soil nutrient depletion and limited dietary diversity, is emerging as a growing threat to public health in Bangladesh and across the world, with millions of people facing hidden hunger despite consuming sufficient calories.

11.10.2026

Brazil launches El Niño climate risk platform for agriculture

Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) has launched an information platform covering El Niño and its potential impacts on agriculture. Developed with the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet), the platform combines climate data, risk management tools, and technical guidance for the agricultural sector.

11.10.2026

Flooding destroys over 80% of potato crop on Greece's Crete

Five consecutive days of heavy rain and thunderstorms have caused flooding, landslides, and agricultural damage across Crete, Greece, with potato and vegetable crops among those affected.

07.10.2026

India - Goa paddy crop hit by rainfall deficit, around 20 hectares affected

Goa’s paddy crop has been affected by deficient monsoon rainfall, with preliminary reports estimating damage to around 20 hectares of cultivated fields across the state.

07.10.2026

Post-Harvest Loss: How NASENI’s Local Innovations Are Safeguarding Nigeria’s Agricultural Yields

Every year, Nigerian farmers face a quiet tragedy that unfolds long after seeds are sown and crops are nurtured. Beneath the scorching sun, vast fields produce abundance, only for a staggering percentage of this yield to rot in transit, spoil in sub-optimal storage, or decay due to lack of immediate processing infrastructure.