Farmers take a hit after recent statewide cold snap

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It is the middle of harvest, and Farmer Joe Del Bosque is now starting to see the aftermath of a statewide cold snap.

"This little guy here, he has the dark color. He's got some splits in here so it's not going. These asparagus are going to be losses for us," said Del Bosque.

He grows organic asparagus. He was able to find a handful of the damaged vegetable in just minutes.

At their first cutting, they toss at least 40 percent of the crop because of the damage.

"It's a high value crop. This crop here, because its organic asparagus, it sells over $2 a pound to us, so it doesn't take a lot of these to create a significant loss," said Del Bosque.

He is not the only one impacted. The state as a whole was hit with the freeze, including parts of Fresno and Madera counties.

"I do expect significant damage on the nut side. I do expect to see some damage unknown on the peaches plums and nectarines," said Fresno County Farm Bureau Ryan Jacobsen.

He says it is too early to tell, but the damage could be costly.

"It could take anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks to try and determine the total damage. I would not be surprised to see this within the tens of millions of dollars industry road when you look up and down the state," said Jacobsen.

Del Bosque has not checked his cherry or almond crops for damage yet. He is just hoping to find less damage during the second harvest of his asparagus crop.