Musings


New industry strategy aimed at finding the best fit, locally and globally.


N


othing moves faster than progress when everything comes together at once. For nearly 20 years there were rumours the tree fruit industry was a sunset one. I remember people saying back in 1993 we would be a cottage industry with a few small


packinghouses and farmers' markets. Farmers have done what they always do. First, we found a way to survive and now we are learning to adapt to a new reality.


Yes, our prime market is local, provincial and western Canada. It is now, however, so much more. Cherries and apples could soon be the most coveted in the Asian markets of the world.


With the advent of new trade deals we are exploring which niche markets best suit our attention. The plan with a new industry strategy is to discover where we fit in the domestic and global market.


The new industry strategy is almost ready to be unveiled and is the cooperative effort of the various sectors from packinghouses to the Sterile Insect Release program (SIR). With that in mind we are also exploring what the needs of value- added are. The new B.C. Tree Fruits apple cider, labeled Broken Ladder, is some of the finest produced in a long time.


To expand and meet our customer demands, many things have to happen. The provincial government partnership in the replant program is proving successful. It is fully subscribed in its first year.Production will increase but likely not as quickly as demand.


People will be surprised in many parts of our community as we begin to plant orchards again where none have existed for in some cases more than a decade. New varieties and new methods of growing are being implemented.


Extension services will be in high demand as well. The field service from the co-op is proving invaluable


20


By Fred Steele Connecting pieces of the puzzle


as farmers learn new ways to plant trees and harvest. Enterprising


independents are also sharing their skills and knowledge to grow better and higher quality crops. Trade deals


combined with enthusiasm have created a whole new atmosphere in the field as it were.


For many who do not adapt, times will get tougher. For those who embrace change, the door will open to a whole new world.


From seminars conducted by field services and experts to the Summerland Varieties Corp. (SVC) providing new product lines in conjunction with the Pacific Research Station in Summerland, the playing field is changing. In addition, we are tackling pest management differently. SIR is looking for new solutions to combat the ever-increasing invasive pests that are bringing new challenges to be faced.


As we adapt to new everything from new plant spacing, to SIR, to new growing methods and new packing methods to reduce waste, we are in fact growing a whole new industry. At the present time the industry is working together to find new creative financing methods to put expansion into reality.


Someone asked me the other day “Can this really be done?”


That is not the question that needs to be asked; the real question is:“How we will do this?”It can be done and we all have to be part of the process. It is not enough to grow the crops in the field. We also have to find a way to have the infrastructure grow with the expansion in order to pack and store additional products destined for our lunchboxes and tables. There is no one more resilient than farmers and we will find a way. Within the next decade we will see a rejuvenated industry growing and profitable.


This will include everything from domestic and export production to new value-added and even the way we communicate directly with those who


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Summer 2015


consume our products. We are rebuilding for the present and the future and each step is a piece of the puzzle for progress. Keep watching as this industry grows into a new maturity. The seeds of change have already been sown.


— Fred Steele is president of the B.C. Fruit Growers' Association


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