The Herald-News - News Story

Repercussions from chilly temperatures in Florida are taking their toll on Rhea County's winter supply of popular fruits and vegetables, and several county restaurants, grocery stores and small produce businesses have felt the effect.

As the search for tomatoes, squash and other produce has grown increasingly tricky, many businesses have turned to Mexico for fruits and vegetables they would normally order from Florida during the winter months.

But according to Sherry Kolnik, produce manager at Piggly Wiggly in Spring City, that alternative won't last much longer.

"Mexico is about out [of tomatoes], and it's about the only other place that has them," Kolnik said. "Our tomatoes are on sale now, but next week the price will more than double."

According to Kolnik, yellow squash has become "just about non-existent," and she worries that any strawberries from Florida will be sparse as well.

"Tennessee's strawberries don't come in for a few more months," she said. "Florida may have some vegetables that come in, but it'll hurt the prices because of the limited quantity."

Produce Manager at Dayton's Shop Rite, Mike Hickman, who is currently relying on tomatoes from Mexico, said he has started ordering strawberries all the way from California.

"Those strawberries are looking good," he said. "People are ordering a lot of stuff they used to get from Florida from California now."

Even the Wendy's in Dayton has posted a sign notifying customers that tomatoes will be available by request only because of the shortage.

Florida's freezing temperatures have been especially deadly to small produce markets in Rhea County.

According to Roxanne Elsea, owner of Paul's Produce in Dayton, business may get worse before its starts to get better.

"I don't think we have actually seen the worst of the tomatoes," Elsea said, adding that peppers, squash and green beans had also been hard hit.

"It takes time to grow all that stuff back, but once April comes we should be okay again," she said.

David Hays, co-owner of Lee Ann's Fruit Market in Spring City, agreed that it has been a challenge coping with limited quantities and skyrocketing prices.

"It's a tough time of year going through slower winter months, and having these super high prices to pay slows things down even more," he said.

Hays noted that people have been generally understanding of the shortage, but simply tend to do without the pricey vegetables.

"The cold temperatures pretty much froze the whole state of Florida, and it's been years and years since that's happened," said Hays. "March will hit us the hardest, but by the first of
April, Florida's tomatoes should be coming back in."

Most restaurants and small businesses will simply have to wait it out and hope for warmer weather.

"It's going to hurt till then, but hopefully we'll survive," said Hays. "We've got no other choice."

Elisabeth Hollingsworth can be reached at elisabeth.hollingsworth@rheaheraldnews.com.