Photo: Castanet

Okanagan fruit growers are investing in their crops.

Funding aimed at protecting future crops of cherries, peaches, apples and other tree fruits from changing growing conditions has fallen into place.

The $5-million Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency fund has covered the cost of 52 wind machines, 10 energy-efficient heaters, two hail nettings, one shade/heat protection netting, one evaporative-cooling system and one innovative project for a freeze chamber to test bud hardiness, the province said in a Thursday media release,

“Extreme weather events are a major concern, and this investment will help farmers install much-needed equipment to protect their orchards and the delicious, quality fruit British Columbians rely on and enjoy,” Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture and Food, said.

Of the investments made, 49 were for cherry growers, nine projects for apple and pear growers, and nine projects for other stone-fruit growers. Sixty-four projects are in the Okanagan and three projects are in the Kootenays.

The program is helping tree-fruit growers buy equipment, invest in infrastructure and pursue innovative projects following several years of extreme weather that severely affected peach, pear, plum, cherry and apple producers.

The Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program is administered by MNP.

These projects will protect nearly 360 hectares (887 acres) of orchards in B.C., helping mitigate extreme weather effects on the tree-fruit sector. The projects will be complete by March 2027.

“The B.C. Cherry Association was very pleased to see the high uptake by industry in this program. After five consecutive years of extreme climate events, we needed to take a proactive approach,” said Sukhpaul Bal, president, B.C. Cherry Association.

“The Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program allows growers to make investments in their farms to better protect against future events, and we look forward to building on the success of the program to ensure the long-term sustainability of the cherry sector.”

The Tree Fruit Climate Resiliency program was developed with input from the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association and the B.C. Cherry Association as part of government’s efforts to help tree-fruit growers through challenges.