Crop Damage in Central California Tops $79M

San Joaquin Valley’s crop damage estimate from a hail storm in April has reached more than $79 million.

The Fresno Bee reported that Kings County, among the hardest hit areas of the region, recently increased its damage estimate from $20 million to $25 million. Officials there have requested a disaster declaration from the state and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Elsewhere in the Valley, Fresno County reported $26 million in crop damage from the storm and Tulare and Madera counties each topped $13 million.

The April 11 storm dropped quarter-sized hail on the region. Among the crops damaged were nectarines, plums, raisins, grapes and almonds.