Profile of the BC Tree Fruit Industry 

The BC tree fruit industry is composed of about 1,200 growers, of which 400-500 are larger commercial growers, who farm about 17,665 acres of apples, pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums. The industry is located in the Okanagan Valley from Salmon Arm in the north to Osoyoos in the south, the Similkameen Valley to the west and the Creston Valley in the Kootenays to the east. Tree fruits are also produced in the Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island, albeit on a much smaller scale. Fewer than 100 acres of apples are grown in the coastal area. 

The industry has been experiencing difficult economic times for a number of years especially for traditional varieties of apples and soft fruit. Better prices for newer varieties have resulted in improved returns for growers. Many growers have adopted a new variety strategy as a way of improving profitability. New varieties tend to sell at a price premium over older varieties. Varieties such as Royal Gala, Fuji and Ambrosia have commanded significant returns at their introduction and continuing for a number of years after. Some cherry varieties such as Lapins, Skeena, Staccato and Sweetheart are highly successful. The industry is currently replanting to new varieties at the rate of about 600 - 800 acres per year.

Industry Organizational Structure

Packing Organizations

The cooperative side of the BC tree fruit industry is composed of 4 major packinghouses that pack about 75% of the industries’ apples and a much smaller percentage of the industries’ soft fruit crop.

Cooperative packinghouses

• BC Fruit Packers Cooperative – approximately 500 growers in the Kelowna, Summerland and Penticton areas.
• Okanagan North Cooperative – approximately 150 growers in the Vernon and Lake Country areas.
• Sun-Fresh Cooperative – 200 growers in the Oliver, Osoyoos, Similkameen and Naramata areas.
• Okanagan Similkameen Cooperative – 150 growers in the Oliver, Osoyoos, Similkameen and Kaleden areas.

Private packinghouses

• Westbank Packers – (Now managed by BC Fruit Packers Cooperative) growers from all over the valley
• Oliver Fruit House – growers from the south
• Fairview Orchards – growers from the south
• Many other smaller packers

Grower Horticultural Advisors

The major packinghouses have field service available to growers to assist with spray, nutrition, replanting and other general horticultural advice. Independent growers can employ the services of pest management consultants and/or contact their pest control product supplier.

Processors

• Sun Rype Products Ltd. is the main processing arm of the industry and processes the majority of the process apples.
• Summerland Sweets and Kettle Valley Dried Fruits process significant volumes of product for specialty markets.

Organic Growers

There is a viable organic industry in the region with approximately 100 acres of fruit being grown. The major production is in the Similkameen which has lower disease pressures. Organic fruit is sold through independent sales agencies and primarily packed by the cooperative packinghouses.

Associations and Councils

There are a number of other organizations that contribute to the industry as follows:

• BC Fruit Growers Association
  This association represents about 600 growers and is the main grower organization for safety net programs, regulation lobbying, grower education and other activities.
• Okanagan Federated Shippers Association
  Represents all of the cooperative packinghouses and Westbank Packers in labour relations, storage research, bulk packaging purchasing and other issues that involve the packing industry as a whole.
• Okanagan Kootenay Cherry Growers Association
  An association of cherry growers that provides members a newsletter, educational sessions, funding for research, and promotes minor use registrations.
• New Variety Development Council
  Ambrosia apple growers have organized a promotion and quality development council to introduce new varieties. The council has developed an Ambrosia marketing strategy and is working on plans to develop a 2 year program of Ambrosia market launch. The council is a grower driven organization that cooperates with industry packinghouses and marketing agencies.

Selling Agencies

• BC Tree Fruits Ltd – sells fruit for the cooperative packinghouses and is the largest agency for apple sales. BCTF sells about 75% of the total apple crop and about 30% of the total soft fruit crop.
• Pro Fresh International – sells some apples, but primarily cherries for many independent growers and packers
• Nelson Roy Associates – sells apples and cherries for a number of independent houses and growers.

Direct Sales

Many roadside outlets in the region supply the local and tourist trade with fresh, direct to the consumer sales of fruit and vegetables. Some growers will sell directly to the consumer as well. Many of the packinghouses have stores with seasonal fruit for sale. There is a small but growing agri-tourism industry with farm tours, markets, and restaurants for the summer tourist market.

Labour

Skilled labour is an essential part of the tree fruit industry. Labour for pruning, planting, thinning and harvesting is an ongoing requirement for the industry. Sources of farm labour include local residents, students, visitors from Quebec and other provinces as well as the Indo Canadian community. Wages are often paid hourly but in other cases on a piece work basis.

There are three farm labour agencies in the valley. They are:

The Open Door Centre
413-1301 Main Street in the Penticton Plaza
Penticton, BC V2A 5E9
Phone: 250 492-8447
Fax: 250 492-8455

The Ki-low Friendship Society
Tel: 250 763-4905
Fax: 250 861-5514
Email ki-low-na-fs@home.com
Mailing Address 442 Leon Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6J3

Employment Benefit Centre (open June to end of August)
34630 - 95 street, Oliver (behind Oliver Mall)
Tel - 250 498-7282

Major Support Agencies

B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries

The BC Ministry of Agriculture Food and Fisheries has offices in Kelowna, Vernon, Oliver and Cranbrook in the BC interior tree fruit industry region. Services from those offices include the following:

• Food safety and quality - on-farm safety programs; performance-based regulations (regulations that focus on what is required, not how to do it); diagnostic laboratories. 
• Environmental sustainability and resource development - farm environmental plans, supportive local government agriculture bylaws. 
• Risk management - basic protection for farmers from uncontrollable market and weather risks. Crop Insurance and Whole Farm Insurance programs are available to tree fruit growers. 
• Industry competitiveness - advocacy role to ensure that farm and fisheries interests are considered in government programs, services and regulations; industry-led research and market development.

Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre

Research in Horticulture, Nutrition, Water, Entomology, Food Science and Biotechnology that supports the tree fruit industry. Of special interest to BC growers is the apple and cherry breeding programs at Summerland.

Sterile Insect Release Program

An innovative program that is a cooperative project of growers, local, provincial and federal governments. This program provides area-wide suppression of the codling moth in commercial apple and pear orchards in the Southern Interior using the sterile insect technique.

PICO

The Okanagan Plant Improvement Company provides nursery plant material to growers and nurseries. It also markets new varieties from the breeding program at PARC as well as private varieties such as Ambrosia.

Irrigation Districts

Providing a water source for tree fruit production is an important role of the Irrigation Districts in the interior region. These water systems were organized in the early years of the industry and remain a vital part of the industry. The districts provide pressurized water for both irrigation and domestic purposes.

Nurseries

Several nurseries in BC provide finished nursery trees of desired varieties for BC producers. The larger nurseries include Byland Nurseries (Kelowna), Golden West Nursery (Summerland), Turton Nursery, (Kelowna); Cannor Nursery (Chilliwack), Traas Nursery (Langley). A number of agents for US nurseries are available for tree sales as well.

Financial Programs

• A number of programs support the industry such as the replant program (Okanagan Valley Tree Fruit Authority, Summerland); Crop Insurance (Kelowna and Oliver); Whole Farm Insurance (Vernon); Net Income Stabilization Account (Winnipeg); Farm Credit Corporation (Kelowna) and numerous banks and credit unions throughout the region.
• Tree Fruit Industry Development Fund - managed by the BC Fruit Growers Association provides matching funds for research and development projects.

Okanagan University College

Provides courses for tree fruit growers and workers.

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