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Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Trample Harvests

Scattered cotton modules in Refugio County, Texas.

Texas farms are still reeling in the wake of record-breaking rainfall and contaminated flood waters from Hurricane Harvey, as farmers in Florida and across the Caribbean brace for the onslaught of Hurricane Irma.

In Texas, many farms are still too wet to assess damage, but state agriculture officials say the cotton and cattle are among the state's worst-hit, with damage estimates up to $150 million losses in the cotton crop alone.

Wind and flood waters have scattered and contaminated cotton still sitting in fields.

Nearly half of all US cotton is produced in Texas. This year's cotton crop was one of the largest in recent memory.

Much of the state's grain crops had already been harvested, but storage facilities were badly damaged.

Damage has not yet been tallied for the state's 1.2 million beef cows across 54 counties.

Meanwhile, Florida citrus growers are preparing for devastation as orange concentrate futures this week rose to their highest point in four months.

U.S. orange production has declined over the past decade due to crop damage, diseases and shrinking demand.

Before the storm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture had already estimated that production could drop by up to 1Â million tons compared to last year.

If Irma turns north, it could strike Georgia and South Carolina, where the nation's cotton growers would take another hit.

Read More:



  • Hurricane Harvey: Crop Losses Could Reach US$150 Million (Food Tank)
  • Tropical Storm Harvey Casts Shadow Over Texas Cotton Crop (Financial Times)
  • Harvey Hits Texas Agriculture (AgWired)
  • Harvey's Winds And Rain Disrupt Texas Agriculture (Texas Tribune)
  • Orange Prices Are Skyrocketing As Hurricane Irma Threatens Florida (Fortune)


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