Okanagan apple growers are facing economic strife in 2019 after two years of poor conditions.

(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

KELOWNA - Okanagan apple farmers were dealt two difficult growing seasons in a row and now are facing severe economic hardship.

“If you think back to 2017, it was hot and the growing conditions weren’t great for apples so overall the apple size was one or two sizes smaller,” Glen Lucas, B.C. Fruit Growers Assocation general manager, said. “That puts you in a lower price market. Also with that heat, it causes concerns about the storage life for the apples and that puts pressure on the marketing.”

The next year offered much better-growing conditions, but when conditions are good in B.C., they’re even better in Washington State which has a significantly larger footprint in the apple growing market. As those American apples flooded the market, Canadian prices dropped. 

“Even if we are priced above Washington, if they go down, everything goes down,” he said. “They grow different varieties and offer different products, but we still get sideswiped by Washington state — they set the market.”

Another problem born closer to home is that more farmers are putting ambrosia apples on the market and the supply is outweighing the demand.

“They’re a younger tree, each year we produce more,” Lucas said.

“Volumes have been increasing and we’ve been fairly reliant on local markets in Western Canada and the U.S.  We have so much product that we have to develop new markets in Asia and eastern Canada.”

That, however, takes time and Lucas said to get ahead of the curve, they’re looking to the competitiveness fund.

They are also relying on packers continuing to want to work together to make the ambrosia market the premium market it should be.

“We really have to execute the plan well,” he said. “We need to see the industry come together and we have to see the government be supportive with replanting and competitiveness. We have a number of good things happening. But what growers need to see is good market returns. That’s what will drive our industry forward.”

The ambrosia apple figures large in that plan.

“When we taste test it, everyone loves it,” Lucas said. “We need to get out there and do more taste testings and people can find out what a great apple it is.”

The ambrosia apple seedling was discovered in the Similkameen in the early ’80s and it was eventually patented in 1993. It’s a rare find that has helped the local industry.

“You’re probably more likely to win the lottery than finding an apple that’s outstanding like ambrosia,” he said.

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