KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Tomato crop hurt, but what's left is good
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Associated Press - June 12, 2009 11:04 AM ET
WARREN, Ark. (AP) - Spring rains cost southeast Arkansas tomato growers about 40% of their crop. But agriculture experts say what's left looks good and problems with the crop appear to be over.
The assessment comes as the Bradley County Pink Tomato in Warren is getting ready for its Saturday finale.
Extension agent John Gavin says the 16 inches of rain that fell in May caused foliage diseases that growers normally don't see. He says that drier weather of late has enabled farmers to get fungus and pest problems under control.
Growers lost many of the tomatoes on the lower portion of their plants. That had an exaggerated financial impact because tomatoes on the bottom of a plant ripen first. Since those tomatoes ship first, they command a higher price than later in the season when tomatoes are more abundant.
Information from: Pine Bluff Commercial, http://www.pbcommercial.com
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