As crops burn, farmers increasingly use sunscreen
By TRACIE CONE, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jul 30, 3:17 AM ET
Just like people damage their skin in the sun, fruits and vegetables also can get nasty burns. Thats why farmers are increasingly applying sunscreen to their crops to prevent skin blistering, heat stress and blemishes.
"With the costs of production going up, growers are looking to increase their margins wherever they can," said farmer Ed Lagrutta, an adviser for Western Farm Services who farms 20 acres and runs tests on hundreds more.
Sunspots on a Granny Smith apple can mean the difference between the lowest price for juice or the more lucrative fresh fruit market. As for nuts, last year buyers paid on average 3-cents a pound more for sunscreen-protected nuts than untreated ones, said Lagrutta.
Climate change and drought in Australia and Californias Central Valley have meant challenging growing conditions for farmers that are affecting the quality, yields and price of produce. Sunscreens alleviate at least one worry for farmers, who lose money with each fruit or vegetable that develops sun damage.
"Under climate change, heat stress will become a bigger issue for plants, especially when it creates new heat-released disease," said Eric Wood, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Princeton University.
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