Hurricane Zeta Threatens La. Citrus Industry

By Avery Davidson

The Voice of Louisiana Agriculture

The National Hurricane Center predicts Hurricane Zeta, the 27th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, will make landfall in southeast Louisiana as a strong category one storm with sustained winds of 80 miles per hour. 

The forecast track for Zeta crosses Plaquemines Parish, which may be at the southeastern most part of the state, but is the center of Louisiana’s citrus industry.

“About 95% of the citrus industry in Louisiana is in Plaquemines Parish,” said Belle Chasse citrus grower Patrick Becnel, Jr. “So this storm, the way it's going, it's going to affect all of Plaquemines Parish. And I'm not the only one that's going to be feeling it. I think that you're going to see, maybe, a shortage of fruit.”

For seven generations, Becnel’s family has grown satsumas, naval oranges and other citrus behind their home on Highway 23. This year, Becnel thinks all of his hard work will end up on the ground. 

“We had a really heavy crop,” said Becnel. “With that amount of wind and the amount of fruit that's pretty much cracking up my grove right now with the weight of it, you add a little bit of moving back and forth whiplash by the wind, I'm expecting to lose a good portion of my crop. I hope that it doesn't crack up my trees to the point where it sets me back on future crops.”

Becnel has good reason to worry about the wind.

"They are sure to get winds at or near category one," said LSU AgCenter Climatologist and WAFB-TV Chief Meteorologist Jay Grymes.

Becnel also grows certified citrus trees in newly constructed greenhouses, which have not yet experienced hurricane force winds.

“A category one, it should be able to take it,” said Becnel. “But, you know, you never really know until you go through it and you never know what it's going to be until it hits.”

Hurricane Zeta’s landfall would set a record for tropical systems striking Louisiana, and according to Grymes, it might not be the last of the year.

"There's still almost another seven weeks of official season," said Grymes. "And we've already experienced five landfalls plus two close calls from Hanna and Sally. The 2005 Hurricane Zeta didn't form until December 30 and rolled into January of 2006, so we can't let our guard down just because we're moving out of the official hurricane season."