In spite of the dry 2013 season, Linkletter remains optimistic. “The crop has been harvested in terrific weather conditions, and went into storage with great quality. Yield is somewhat reduced by the drought, but the size profile is good.”
The bumper supply of 2012, especially from Idaho, dampened prices for most PEI potatoes. “The retail market was also somewhat tepid,” Linkletter says, and “even though the Island ran low on potatoes before the end of our normal marketing season, and many packing sheds had to shut down early for lack of raw product, our pricing was dictated by the bigger North American picture.”
While PEI leads Canada in potato production, its fruit industry has also surged with blueberries as a top crop, and both strawberries and apples in abundance as well.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia, literally meaning, “New Scotland,” churns out apples and blueberries as its major fruit crops. It is second only to Ontario in apple production. Carrots and onions are the largest vegetable crops; in 2012 the carrot crop was valued at $7.1 million and accounted for about 7 percent of the country’s entire crop.
Most agricultural activity takes place in the Annapolis Valley region, located in Digby, Annapolis, and Kings counties. This region spans the Bay of Fundy along the western and southwestern coast of the isle and is both protected and moderated by the climatic interplay of the Bay and an escarpment on the opposing side.
The countryside is populated with orchards and vineyards, though much of the grape production is for wine.
The province’s weather is usually characterized as moderate, with few extremes, though a blizzard in mid-January took its toll on residents by dumping more than a foot of snow, snarling traffic, and closing schools and businesses.
The Future
Glimpses of Canada’s future produce industry can be seen through the trends affecting the country’s primary crop, potatoes. Linkletter predicts that ‘use marketing’—widely used in the potato industry to sell varieties based on their baking, boiling, canning, or mashing qualities—will become a dominant strategy.
Though ‘use marketing’ is not applicable to all fruits and vegetables, the convenience of processed and value-added products has continued to gain market share in Canada and throughout North America. Further, it stands to reason that specialty varieties will become more prevalent, especially with rising immigration. Weber believes there will be “an increase in the number of hybrids and exotic products hitting the shelves” while Linkletter forecasts more creative packaging to highlight these unique qualities.
For Donald Souther of New Jersey’s Vision Import Group, LLC, the True North is a vast and untapped source of new sales. “In the United States, the markets get saturated over time. We see Canada as an up-and-coming market,” he says. “We look at Canada as a new frontier, and a good place to get in on the ground floor.”
In addition, the increasing desire to eat healthfully, paired with convenience will continue to benefit and shape the industry. “In the next year,” Weber predicts, “we will continue to see an increase in prepared meals and packaged fruits and veggies that are washed, peeled, chopped, or diced, and ready for use.” Further, she notes, “we’re seeing more education in-store and online about how to prepare raw produce,” which, in turn, leads to consumers “creating quick and healthy meals and snacks.”
Despite beautifully diverse and prolific produce, rising costs of production persist throughout the True North. Seed, fertilizer, and labor costs have continued to spiral upward like smoke. And though fuel costs have waned somewhat, it is anyone’s guess how long the reprieve will last.
Considering the total picture, Linkletter remains bullish about the future. What keeps him engaged is how the “industry is always morphing, and change is the biggest constant.” One thing that will never change, however, is the pristine nature of Canada’s fruit and vegetable landscape.
Image: Thinkstock.
