Peaches at roadside stands and in the supermarket are a sure sign of spring and summer, but this year, that sign may be harder to find might just be a wee bit more expensive. Last December’s freezing temperatures coupled with spring frosts and then lots of warmth have effected a large percentage of the South Carolina and Georgia peach crops.
According to reports, agriculture experts are estimating around 50% of peaches in South Carolina have been lost this season, with Georgia peaches at around an 80% loss.
Clemson University professor of horticulture and peach expert Dr. Gregory Reighard told WJCL News that this is the worst season in years.
“It’s the worst year since 2007 I think for South Carolina where we had an Easter freeze. It’s definitely the worst for Georgia since 2017,” Reighard said to WJCL.
Peaches need chill time, hundreds of hours below 45 degrees, to produce flowers and fruit. After record cold in December, the Southeast winter was very mild.
Early warmth coaxed out some blossoms but then came a couple of March cold snaps. When a peach is in bloom, a few degrees below freezing can mean a 10% to 90% loss, according to the Clemson Cooperative Extension office.
“The temperatures fluctuated. It got down as low as 27 degrees. It will be a supply and demand issue,” CCE stated. “So, our early varieties usually come in around Memorial Day. A lot of those have been hit and we are looking at the middle part of June before the peaches really start coming in.
Shoppers are already seeing a shortage of fresh peaches in stores and hose shortages and will continue through the summer. Some peach farmers in South Carolina have reported seeing as much as a 75% loss in their crops after the winter and early spring.
South Carolina Peaches
South Carolina has a long, storied history with the peach. According to historical records, peaches were found in South Carolina as far back as the late 1600s, and today they’re something that the Palmetto State has become quite famous for.
In fact, South Carolina produces the most peaches of any state in the South.
Georgia may call itself “The Peach State”, but we know better. According to USDA statistics, the Palmetto State ships approximately 90,000 tons of S.C. peaches a year from its approximately 20,000 acres of peach orchards across the state, compared with Georgia’s 40,000 tons. All in all, the top 4 states for peach production are California, South Carolina, Georgia and New Jersey. California is a significant producer of both fresh and processed peaches, while South Carolina and Georgia mostly produce the fresh fruit.
Peaches are so synonymous with South Carolina, the SC Legislature made the peach our official state fruit in 1984.
READ: SC Peaches: A taste of summer in the Lowcountry
