BC government funding for tree fruit replant projects in 2016 is now available to help tree fruit growers replant their orchards with high-value, high-quality fruit varieties, and increase the value of their sales. From left are: BC Fruit Growers Association President Fred Steele, Boparai Orchards owner Avtar Boparai, Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick (Government of B.C. photo)
British Columbia’s tree fruit growers looking to replant orchards with high-value, high-quality fruit varieties in 2017 can apply for B.C. government funding now.
The funding is part of the B.C. government’s seven-year, $9.4-millon tree fruit replant program to help B.C. growers plan and take advantage of local and international market opportunities for high-value B.C. apples and cherries.
The program received a million-dollar boost in June 2016, which will result in about 25 additional farmers replanting 120 hectares this year, and more in the years to come. At least 647 hectares (1,600 acres) will be replanted under the program by 2021, providing more than 2,600 jobs each year for the Okanagan.
Application packages are available at:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/programs/treefruit-replant-program
B.C. growers produced Canada’s largest tree fruit crop in 2015, with more than 124,000 tonnes of apples, cherries, peaches, pears, plums/prunes, nectarines and apricots grown and marketed. The total represents close to one-third of Canadian production and $117 million in farm cash receipts.
Increasing production, driving competitiveness, and building markets are three key priorities of the B.C. Agrifood and Seafood Strategic Growth Plan that has an overall goal of growing the B.C. agrifoods sector to a $15-billion-a-year industry by 2020.
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