As changes in climate makes established producing regions, such as California, more expensive, farmers are turning their attention north.
As major drought and water shortages persist to wreak havoc on California’s, the country’s largest agricultural state, crops, U.S. fruit sellers are heading north to Canada.
Driscoll’s has teamed with Sébastien Dugré, co-owner of Massé Nursery in Saint-Paul-d’Abbotsford, Quebec, to determine the viability of commercial production of blackberries and raspberries in the region.
It is uncommon for this region of Canada to cultivate berries on a big scale, due to the cooler temperature in Quebec. Dugré began the trials last year, and this year he was able to gather about 80 tonnes of fruit.
“Undoubtedly, there is a learning curve. Last year was hard, this year is lot better, we’ve got nicer fruit,” he remarked.
Dugré use tubes resembling domes to shield the plants from precipitation while producing a warmer environment for the plants. All of this allows him to begin earlier in the spring and finish later in the fall, so prolonging the growing season.
According to Dugré, the fact that large firms are interested in conducting business in Canada is an excellent opportunity.
While there may be unanticipated benefits for certain growing areas, the shift in agriculture accentuates the immense problems that lie ahead as the globe adapts to climate change and increasingly frequent and severe weather events.