Ambrosia has been ‘a miracle’


Success couldmean a name change for New Variety Development Council if growers extend itsmandate.


By Judie Steeves T


he Ambrosia apple is the brightest spot in the industry, believes Bruce Currie, chairman of the New Variety Development Council.


“Ambrosia is a dream. It’s one in a million; just a miracle. It’s easy to grow and harvest; it stores well; tastes great and is slow to brown when cut,” commented Currie.


This year saw production of the largest crop yet, but it’s still only about 380,000 boxes, and there is more in the ground coming to maturity.


Anyone willing to pay the royalty per tree and the levy on fruit produced, can still grow it.


From 485 acres in 2005, there are now more than 800 acres of Ambrosia growing in B.C., and more than half of the industry’s 800 commercial growers have at least some part of their acreage in Ambrosia, reports Currie, although sometimes that’s a very small portion. However, it’s a variety that doesn’t lend itself well to most growers planting huge quantities, because when Ambrosia reaches the right level of starch, it must be picked exactly at maturity. Few growers can marshal the required labour to pick all of a single variety at once. It is also a multiple-pick apple, so it takes longer to pick than many varieties. It may require as many as three picks. Currie believes the strength of the variety is its advocates, who have a vested interest in its success. Ambrosia is a chance seedling discovered by Wilf and Sally Mennell in their Cawston orchard in the 1990s. (See story on page 7). And, the NVDC is determined to maintain the variety’s premium returns and high quality.


The council was formed under provincial legislation with a mandate to promote new varieties of apples, in part to compete with the popular “club


8 British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2010-11


varieties’ being grown south of the border. However, in order to collect the levy per pound used for marketing and promotion of the variety and research into all factors that affect its’ quality and thus returns to growers, those growers must vote to renew the mandate every five years.


Two such votes have passed during the decade since the council was formed, but another must be held before the 2011 crop can be marketed.


JUDIE STEEVES


Eyes on the prize. Bruce Currie, chairman of the New Variety Development Council.


Ballots will be available in January for growers to vote on continuing the mandate of the council. Currie said regional grower meetings will be scheduled as well as individual meetings with growers who have concerns or questions.


There will be provision for growers to submit their ballots at the meetings, or they can be mailed back.


But, 60 percent of the growers who are members of the council must vote, and 65 percent must vote in favour of extending the mandate, for the work of


the council to continue.


Since the council was established in 2001, it has developed a promotion plan for Ambrosia, along with promotional materials; worked with B.C. Tree Fruits to match that, and also leveraged funding from a variety of provincial and federal funding programs to support the variety. Quality assurance guidelines have been developed by the council and accepted by industry. Grower workshops are held regularly to discuss fruit maturity and the importance of maintaining high quality standards as well as the factors that are


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