Two available positions on the board of the BC Tree Fruits (BCTF) Cooperative representing the south were both filled with incumbents last week.

Talwinder Bassi from Oliver and Joginder Khosa from Cawson were both re-elected by co-operative grower members at their annual general meeting in Peachland on Oct. 25.

The two available positions in the north were filled with new faces when growers elected Mike Mitchell and Nirmal Dhaliwal.

They join six other board members – three each from the north and south – whose positions were not up for election.

The board of directors will meet shortly and will choose a new president and vice president, one from each region, BCTF says in a news release.

The meeting comes on the heels of a decision in the summer to close the BCTF packing plant and retail outlet in Osoyoos.

Packing is being consolidated in Oliver and there will be no retail outlet.

The facility has remained open to receive fruit until the end of this year’s apple season.

BCTF has not yet announced a decision on whether it will provide an Osoyoos receiving station for the 2018 crop year as many of the local growers are calling for.

An October CEO Report distributed to growers says the board of directors has approved approximately $4.5 million for upgrades to the Oliver facility.

“There have been many discussions regarding our southern facilities including receiving/packing in Osoyoos and Penticton,” said the bulletin. “However, the same discussions also include Roanoke, Sexsmith (Rutland), Vaughan and Water Street locations…

“There is no question that Oliver will remain the hub for southern operations into the foreseeable future,” the bulletin continues. “All stone fruit (peach, nectarine, prune and plum) packing is planned for the Oliver house in 2018.”

BC Tree Fruits Cooperative is owned by 430 Okanagan-Similkameen grower families. The organization markets and distributes a variety of B.C.-grown fruit including apples, pears, cherries, peaches, apricots, prune plums and blueberries.

BCTF’s head office is in Kelowna.

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Osoyoos Times