Market Watch


Growers advised to use the resource wisely during what is forecast to be a long, hot summer.


E


arly spring weather that was not only warmer, but also drier, will have a significant impact on this year’s crops in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys.


On the good side, harvest is looking like it will be 10 days to two weeks earlier than usual, which means growers must plan ahead to have pickers lined up earlier than usual, as well as planning for sprays, packing, shipping and selling earlier than normal, warns Hank Markgraf, field operations manager for the B.C. Tree Fruit Co-op.


On the other side of the coin, water could be a scarce resource this year, so he advises growers to prepare now to spend a summer conserving it, so there’s still water available at harvest. He says he takes the weekends off running irrigation in his orchard, which saves a couple of days of water each week, without stressing the trees. “I’m very worried about water levels this year in the Okanagan,”he says frankly. Overall, this year’s snowpack was about 41 per cent of normal, although that varies around the valley, with less in some watersheds and more in others.


“It’s projected to be a long, hot summer, so use water wisely and keep some in your back pocket so you can do some cooling at harvest,”he warns. The early spring meant growers were run off their feet trying to catch up to Mother Nature, but dry weather meant sprays were effective and there were ideal conditions for apples, with no cold snap following bloom, which means fruit should size up well. An easy winter means that the trees haven’t been stressed so even if crops are down in number of fruits, the larger fruit will make up for it, he comments.


Cherry growers must be aware that Spotted Wing Drosophila also overwintered well, and were out full


6


By Judie Steeves Crop outlook good,but water a worry


force earlier this year, with high numbers early in the season. Overall, the cherry crop is expected to be bigger than last year, and even if the numbers are down, the fruit size is expected to be up, so that will make it easier for export markets. He forecasts a crop of 9.5 to 10 million pounds will go through the co- op, which he figures is about a third of the valley’s harvest. Last year they ran about 8.8 million pounds of cherries through the co-op.


Apples had been forecast to be about 170,000 bins this year, but Markgraf says they expect that now to be higher, at 190,000 bins. Last year 220,000 bins went through the co-op. South of the border, growers in Washington State handled a record apple crop last year, and it’s expected to be down slightly this year, but a big, early crop nonetheless.


BCTF marketing manager Chris Pollock says last year’s apple crop will


all be sold before the new crop begins to trickle in this year, although Washington State will still be distributing old crop apples when the new crop comes in.


He says they’re hoping local retailers and consumers continue to remain loyal to local farmers, with a focus on fresh, new-crop fruit from B.C., rather than old fruit from outside Canada.


“We have great partnerships with local retailers,”he said.


Prices for fruit have remained strong this year, although slightly lower than the previous year. With more fruit to sell, slightly lower prices have not seriously affected most growers' bottom line, he notes. Both say it’s looking like a good year for most tree fruits, but earlier harvest dates mean growers must plan ahead rather than following the calendar for hiring staff or applying sprays. And, water conservation must be a top priority.


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