Farmers Across Southwest Louisiana Struggle to Bear Citrus Fruit

Some farmers are struggling to bear fruit this season because of the freezing temperatures.

75-year-old Daniel Romero owns Daniel & Anna’s Orchard, a “pick your own” fruit farm in New Iberia.

“I do this as a sideline,” Romero said. “You can’t make a living doing this. There’s no way you can pay all your insurance and all of your expenses by just doing this.”

Romero said his crops have been struggling since last year and he lost about 65 satsuma trees because of it.

“They had a freeze in one of those years, but it didn’t do a lot of damage,” Romero said. “But, that freeze last year did a lot of damage.”

Maddox Miller works for the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center. He said many citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and satsumas aren’t cold-tolerant.

“Citrus trees keep their leaves throughout the year, so they’re an evergreen of sorts contrasting to an apple or a pear that loses their leaves in the fall and can go dormant for the winter.”

Miller said farmers and growers should conduct nutrient tests on their soil every three years, to help save their crops while they can.

To find a soil testing location near you or to request a kit, please visit https://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/departments/spess/servicelabs/soil_testing_lab/links/soil-test-kits.