Three projects by the B.C. Tree Fruits Co-operative will tackle tree cankers and cherry packing efficiencies to boost net returns of growers.
There will be $125,000 to study the health of fruit trees and their production levels with different control methods for tree cankers, an ongoing challenge in the apple industry.
Also, BCTFC’s packing line in Oliver will get a $43,500 automated trickle filler, increasing packing capacity by 50 per cent.
Cherry packing will also see improvements through a new technology upgrade in Kelowna, thanks to an investment of $500,000.
The funding comes from the federal and provincial governments.
“This allows us to invest in state of the art technology which enables our co-operative to compete successfully in both the domestic and export markets,” said Alan Tyabji, BCTFC chief executive officer.
