Tobacco Hit Hard by Frost

Source from:  The Tillsonburg News By Jeff Helsdon - Staff Writer Monday May 29, 2006 05/30/2006

Tobacco growers who thought they were getting a jump on planting thanks to warmer weather just prior to the long weekend suffered a setback last week. Jim Todd, transition crop specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, said he has heard about a fair amount of frost damage as a result of last week's cold snap. The extent of the damage ranged from quite severe requiring replanting of the entire crop to minimal damage. "It looks like it wasn't a light frost for sure," Todd said. "The damage was significant." Tobacco board spokesperson Linda Lietaer said all the growers who she heard from had suffered some damage. She understands, though, the majority of growers were waiting until after the frost threat was past. Todd had no estimate on the number of growers who had started planting. If growers hadn't started planting by the end of last week, they were going to start this week. With the frost hitting so soon after planting, Todd said there should be no affect on the crop size. "If there is a bright side," he said, "with the crop size so low there has to be enough extra plants around." Enditem