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Agriculture Minister gets call for emergency funding to assist growers

Extreme cold impacts Okanagan cherry production

The severity of damage to cherry buds due to extreme winter conditions in British Columbia has been confirmed with the onset of the blossom season. Sukhpaul Bal, a cherry grower and president of the B.C. Cherry Association, described the situation as unprecedented in its devastation, with a significant lack of blossoms indicating a dire absence of fruit for the season. Bal's orchard in Kelowna, along with other farms, faces a year without cherry production, affecting both his 85 acres and Deep Brar's 100 acres in Summerland. The dilemma extends to the financial burdens of maintaining orchards without the prospect of a harvest, challenging the notion that a lack of production equates to a reduction in work.

The call for emergency funding to assist growers through this period has been made to the B.C. Agriculture Minister, highlighting the inadequacy of current programs to support farmers against recurring extreme weather events. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food has announced a $70-million investment for the replanting of climate-resilient fruit varieties, a move aimed at supporting cherry growers among others.

Source: globalnews.ca

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