PLANT CITY, Fla. (AP) _ The owner of one of the best known and oldest strawberry farms in central Florida is selling his land.
Gary Wishnatzki is selling part of his Plant City farm and expanding operations into Manatee County.
Wishnatzki owns Wish Farms, one of the state’s largest strawberry shippers.
Wishnatzki says several factors such as competition from Mexico and disease affected the company’s business this year.
Wish Farms already owns about 1,500 contiguous acres in Manatee County.
Wishnatzki’s grandfather moved to Plant City in the late 1920s and started what is now one of the oldest and best-known farms in the area.
Strawberry farmers in Florida had a difficult year because warm winter weather meant an excess in production, which led to lower prices.
