$20 million-plus crop damage when storm shreds orchards

Updated: Thursday, May 03, 2012 7:49 AM

HANFORD, Calif. (AP) -- A fierce spring storm that shredded Central California orchards last month caused more than $20 million damage in Kings County.

Other San Joaquin Valley counties are still tallying the damage to crops when quarter-sized hail pummeled the area on April 11.

The Fresno Bee (http://bit.ly/JOJGcu ) says the storm mowed down cotton, kiwi, cherry, apricot, peach, plum and nectarine crops.

Hardest hit were fruit tree growers.

Kings County grower John Tos says he lost about 90 percent of his peaches, nectarines, plums, prunes, apricots and cherries.

Kings County deputy agriculture commissioner Steve Schweizer says the county plans request disaster assistance.

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Information from: The Fresno Bee, http://www.fresnobee.com