An appeal by Okanagan apple growers for government help has fallen on stony ground.
In March, apple growers, reeling from two disastrous years when they received about half the cost of production, applied for $10 million in direct cash from the provincial government.
They learned the bad news in April when agriculture minister Steve Thomson, a former general manager of the British Columbia Fruit Growers Association, told a Vancouver radio station growers wouldn’t harvest any government cash.
“That doesn’t rule out other forms of assistance that could help the industry,” said Joe Sardinha, president of the 800-member BCFGA.
Read Also
Sunterra companies continue restructuring under court protection
Claims against Sunterra Group have now been filed as the Alberta-based companies continue operating under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.
“We’re waiting for the ultimate yea or nay whether growers will receive help outside the basic programs. Growers need more assistance than these programs can provide.”
Sardinha said the provincial government is checking to see if there is any help in federal programs.
“We need to know whether the government will help or not. That plays large in any future strategy.”
The BCFGA will again contact government about possible areas where it can help, including tax breaks to the Sterile Insect Release program or help with food safety programs.
“We haven’t had super formal discussions yet, but we’re hoping to enter into that and get all the ideas on the table,” said BCFGA general manager Glen Lucas.
“Growers’ real need is for cash to help with the cost of putting a good, quality crop on and that has been ruled out. It’s hard to see a way through that, but we continue to explore and hopefully generate some innovative ideas.”
