STRAWBERRIES REBOUND DESPITE FREEZE, HOPES ARE HIGH FOR SPRING HARVEST.

Byline: ERIC LEACH Staff Writer

OXNARD - The January freeze that ruined nearly $1 billion worth of crops statewide sent strawberry production tumbling nearly 20 percent.

But since then, strawberries -- Ventura County's largest crop -- have recovered much faster than growers expected, and this year's crop should be on par with past years.

In fact, more Ventura County acres have been planted in strawberries than any time in the past five years, which should result in a large crop if there are no more major weather problems.

``It could be a really great year. There could be a lot of berries this spring,'' said Peggy Dillon, a spokeswoman for the California Strawberry Commission, adding that the frost should turn out to be only a temporary setback, Ventura County's largest crop.

``Not all the fields were affected by the frost, even in Oxnard,'' she said. ``The cold weather could actually turn out to be good because the plants slow down and the root systems build up, which creates really healthy plants.''

Authorities said California strawberry production in January and early February is usually low even without a frost, and farmers take into account the potential for poor weather this time of year.

For the state, 2.2 million trays of strawberries were harvested in January, compared to 2.7 million in January 2006, according to the commission.

The frost that hit California the weekend of Jan. 13 was devastating, and for the week ending Jan. 20 there were only about 245,000 trays of strawberries harvested in the Ventura County area, the commission reported.

But the rebound was apparent in the week ending Jan. 27, when the Ventura County harvest rose to nearly 626,000 trays. Each tray contains between nine and 10 pounds of strawberries.

Strawberry production usually peaks in Ventura County in late March or early April, and throughout the state around late April or early May.

Dean Maulhardt, chairman of the California Strawberry Festival, which is scheduled for May 19-20 in Oxnard, said most strawberry plants affected by the cold should fully recover by then.

``Actually, the frost can even be beneficial to stimulate later production because the flowers that are part of the re-growth become the next fruit,'' he said.

If the Oxnard crop is delayed because of cold weather it could still be producing a strong crop when the Monterey-area strawberry crop begins to reach full production in April, officials said.

The Ventura County agricultural commissioner has estimated crop losses from the January frost in the county at $281 million, including $26.1 million to strawberries.

The commissioner's 2005 crop report, the latest issued by the office, estimated the value of the county's strawberry crop two years ago at $328.6 million.

But the value of the crop each year depends on growing and market conditions affected by supply and demand.

A farm labor specialist said as many as 70 percent of the strawberries in Ventura County that were picked immediately after the frost in January had to be thrown away because of damage, and the loss in production of strawberries and other crops would idle hundreds of farmworkers.

Officials have warned that even if the strawberry harvest completely recovers in the coming months, strawberry growers could face labor shortages if their farmworkers leave the area because of temporary job losses.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Strawberries are recovering from the recent freeze much faster than expected, and Ventura County's 2006 crop is expected to be on par with past years.

(2) Pickers make their way through a field of strawberries in Oxnard on Wednesday. Despite the recent freeze, growers are expecting an outstanding spring crop.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer