TOOMBS COUNTY, Ga. — If you ate a watermelon on July 4th, chances are it was state-grown. Georgia is one of the biggest watermelon producers in the country, an industry worth $143 million in 2013. Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Watermelon Association, is expecting that number to be much lower this year but says it's too early to say by how much.
Channel 2's Katie Walls traveled to Toombs County and met with a farmer who grows both Vidalia onions and watermelons. While his Vidalia onion yield is taking a hit from excessive rainfall this past spring, it was June's heat that has harmed his watermelon crop.
"There was nothing we could do... When [heat] gets that excessive there's not much you can do," says Aries Haygood with M & T Farms. Haygood has been in the farming business for eight years and has seen his share of Georgia's fickle weather.
In mid-June temperatures in Middle Georgia climbed above 95 degrees for nine consecutive days with even higher heat indices.
"The heat was reaching a 105 to 110-degree heat index …The fruit was beginning to burn just like we would if we were out in the sun," says Haygood.
Haygood used produce sunscreen, completely safe for the fruit, to help minimize loss. But the extreme heat caused sudden ripening and crews weren't in place for harvest, ultimately leading to a loss.
"I expect it to be down probably about a third. We've been lucky and blessed toward the end to have a good yield. We're actually still picking some fruit," says Haygood.
Hall says that every farming year is unusual and anticipates that watermelon yields will be down statewide. He expects that within the next week, there will be fewer Georgia-grown watermelons in stores.
WSBTV
