Following a second summer of heavy rains, Quebec's vegetable growers are wondering what's ahead for agriculture in the province. After all, this year, the growing season can almost be divided into two halves. "The early spring until mid-summer was a very good season and the volume was there," says Patrice Léger Bourgoin, general manager, Association des Producteurs maraîchers du Québec. "Then suddenly in August, the rains came and we had to cope with an excess of water. The second part of the season was much harder on the fields."
Flooding in a field in Monteregie, the most important region in Quebec for vegetables growing.
In the space of a few hours, for example, Lanaudière, Quebec, a key vegetable-growing region, saw almost 10 inches of rain. The same was seen in the municipality of Saint-Lin-Laurentides. Meanwhile, other regions such as Montérégie, the most important area for vegetable growing in Quebec, were also very impacted by heavy rain and river floods in the fields. "Then, a couple of days later they received a bit more rain but the soil was not able to absorb this new volume of moisture," says Léger Bourgoin.
Slow growing of crops
While crops such as lettuce were severely impacted and saw crop loss, other crops such as potatoes, carrots, and squash are facing increased fungal disease pressure following the rains. "The seasons haven't ended but the growth of the crops is slower than usual," says Léger Bourgoin. "With harvest operations for September, we're hoping that the rain will be behind us and that the rest of the season will be better than what we saw in August."
More flooding in Monteregie.
This means there are now longer-term concerns about vegetable growing in the regions–particularly because last summer also saw sizeable rains in Quebec. "All along the St. Lawrence River, because of climate change, we think we'll be subjected to new excesses of rain and it will be an issue for the next decade at least," Léger Bourgoin says. "We will need the help of scientists on the issue as well as financial support from both the provincial and federal governments because, by themselves, the growers won't be able to absorb the financial costs."
For more information:
Patrice Léger Bourgoin
Association des Producteurs maraîchers du Québec
Tel: +1 (514) 387-8319
https://apmquebec.com/