The severe storms and flooding that hit the region in 2023 had a significant impact on the production of berries and other crops in Santa Cruz County, according to a report the county released Friday. In 2023, the total estimated gross production value was $654,710,000, a 1.8% decrease from 2022.
Berry crops, especially strawberries, continue to be the most lucrative, and make up 60% of the county’s total gross production values. Strawberries, the highest-grossing crop, declined in production from $220 million in 2022 to $184.8 million in 2023.
Weather-related issues, such as flooding and rain storm damages, also affected vegetable production, which decreased by 10%, coming in at $90.9 million compared to $101 million in 2022.
Notably, nursery crops increased by 12% to $145 million. Wine crops and apples remained steady in 2023, coming in at $11,876,000 and $5,603,000, respectively.
The full 2023 crop report for Santa Cruz County can be found at https://www.agdept.com/.
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