Trials and tribulations of the Canadian fruit-growing industry

The paper gives a comparative and historical assessment of climatic and eco nomic hazards in the five main fruit-growing areas of Canada, and how the i ndustry has responded. The northern location of fruit growing in Canada pos es a number of climatic hazards. The most serious hazard is winter low-temp erature injury to trees and vines, which results in a capital loss and crop loss for up to five years. The industry has responded to this hazard by ab andoning fruit growing in areas with unfavourable climatic conditions and c oncentrating in areas with the most favourable climatic conditions. Other r esponses include changing to hardier varieties, improving management practi ces, and government subsidies. The fruit-growing industry has also had to f ace many economic hazards, including changes in technology and consumer pre ferences, changes in international trade rules, increased foreign competiti on, a cost-price squeeze, and urbanization of the industry's land base. The se economic hazards area a greater threat to the industry than the natural hazards because, in most cases, there are limited coping mechanisms availab le to growers, and economic globalization is preventing the federal and pro vincial governments from providing an adequate safety net.