B.C. Fruit Looking Up Compared to Eastern Season
Canadian fruit supply
The Britsh Columbia apple harvest has begun and could pass last year’s revenues by 10 percent.
However, Ontario growers are dealing with devasting crop failures.
Earlier in March, temperatures reached 28 C followed by an 18 day cold snap which had a shattering effect on the Ontario apple crop.
An estimated 85 percent of the crops were damaged that were also seen in Michigan and New York due to severe weather says Brian Gilroy, President of the Ontario Apple Growers Association.
“On my farm, there are millions of apple blossoms. This year, I never saw a normal blossom. Everything was affected,” Gilroy said. “In some places the cold was so severe that it damaged next year’s buds as well.”
In previous years, about 800 people are needed to pick crops however, this year’s losses could reach $400 million in devalued fruit and lost jobs.
“We have lost a staggering 98 percent of our Empire crop, which is the second largest variety,” Gilroy says.
About 65 percent of growers carry production insurance and an Agri-Recovery assessment has been done, but producers have not heard if support is coming.
“Most apple farmers won’t feel the financial crunch until next year because it is a stored crop and farmers wouldn’t be getting paid for this year’s crop until next year,” Gilroy says.
On the other side of the country, the harvest is rolling in with better than average production, says Glenn Lucas, Manager of the British Columbia Fruit Growers Association in Kelowna.
Apple picking started during the first week of September with Galas and McIntosh coming off first. Fujis will be picked in October and the Pink Lady harvest may last until November.
Peaches and nectarines were picked in August and are continuing into September. The plum harvest has just started.
