The closing of BC Tree Fruits means the future of the sector will lie in the hands of private packing houses
BC Tree Fruit Grower Steve Brown, pictured at his Happy Valley Harvest apple orchard in Summerland, B.C., said a primary factor in the failure of BC Tree Fruits was members losing faith in the co-operative model.88-year-old tree fruit co-operative has left Okanagan growers conflicted, wondering whether the industry will benefit from a private packing sector or whether the dissolution of BC Tree Fruits will lead to the further diminishment of Canada ’s fruit industry.
“There is widespread panic at the moment,” said Melissa Tesche, general manager of BC Tree Fruit Growers Association, adding that many apple growers – who will harvest in around four weeks – have nowhere to send their produce.Many are surprised that BC Tree Fruits could fail. For decades after the Second World War, the board had a monopoly, acting as a government mandated single-desk marketing board akin to the Wheat Board. BC Tree Fruits provided growers with bins, as well as cold storage.
“It was a train wreck that you could see coming from a long way away,” said Steve Brown, owner of Happy Valley Harvest in Summerland and former president of the board of directors for the BC Tree Fruits Cooperative. Mr. Brown has shipped his products to BC Tree Fruits for 20 years. He will be selling products to private packing houses.
In the past four years, Okanagan growers have contended with COVID-related labour shortages, a heat dome and a January cold-snap that killed roughly 75 per cent of cherries. However, Mr. Brown believes that the way to combat the double-challenge of weather and global competition would be through a co-operative. BC Tree Fruits set an industry standard for the price of fruit. Now it will be up to private packing houses. A co-operative could also set solid standards for quality and integrity, and keep growers united. Mr.
“It may take some time but I’m hopeful that out of turmoil will come a more competitive and prosperous apple sector,” he said. “I believe there are a great many Canadian consumers that would prefer to buy homegrown apples. I believe we have that support.”
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