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B.C. grape grower left with unsold fruit as wineries allowed to import U.S. grapes (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 6 days ago by HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works to c/canada@lemmy.ca

20 comments fedilink hide all child comments

In B.C.'s south Okanagan region, some wine grape growers are struggling to find buyers for their fruit, during a year many were hoping to make a solid profit after devastating crop loss in recent years.

After two years of severe winter damage, vineyards across the region produced strong yields this season.

But some farmers say a provincial program that allows wineries to import grapes from the United States is crowding the market and leaving them with grapes they can't sell.

Despite strong quality and sugar levels, Gill said his Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes should have been picked two weeks ago. He's concerned about making his loan repayments.

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[–] ieGod@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Not really the federal government's fault.

According to Gill, the struggles growers are facing selling their harvest are linked, in part, to the B.C. government's decision to extend the vintage replacement program.

The program relaxes long-standing rules on the importation and taxation of wine grapes and juice from the United States and other regions.

It was introduced in 2024 after the wine industry was impacted by an extreme cold snap that wiped out last year's grape crop and damaged vineyards throughout the Okanagan.

Many B.C.-based wineries decided to import and process American-grown grapes to stay afloat, and the province extended the program again in 2025, with industry leaders citing a deficit of 10,000 tonnes of grapes as the reason.

Which means there's some forecasting and balancing needed here. Not so simple/straightforward. You might shift the pain from the farmers to the wine producers if the conditions are unfavorable.

As with many things, when you go past surface level, things get complicated.

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 2 points 3 days ago

Ah that's a good explanation.