Quebec’s apple producers are severely affected by climate change and are demanding funding from Quebec’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) to facilitate the adaptation and modernization of the region’s orchards. Province.
In total, the president of the Quebec Apple Producers, Éric Rochon, requested a sum of $30 million spread over six years. The latter took advantage of the start of the apple growing season to make the announcement during a press conference on Sunday morning.
“Our adaptation challenges are enormous and have a significant impact on all links in the chain, from production to distribution, not to mention consumers,” emphasizes the man who is also the owner of the Rochon et Frères farm.
As extreme weather events increase due to climate change, the lack of a financing program is increasingly hurting producers. The government’s orchard modernization program expired in March 2021.
“The 2023 summer season will be marked by unprecedented extreme weather events. […] The government must support the apple sector in order to adopt a strategy for growth and adaptation to the new realities of today,” explains the President General of the Union of Agricultural Producers, Martin Caron.
Union of Agricultural Producers
A different one please
In his 40 years on the Île d’Orléans, Jacques Paradis, co-owner of Domaine Orléans, has seen demand change over the years as later apples became more popular due to their longer shelf life.
“Early variety apples are likely to disappear. “As food prices rise dramatically in winter, people are much more likely to choose apples that have a longer shelf life,” he explains.
This requires planting new apple trees and thus an adaptation, as they will only bear fruit in a few years.
“We have to uproot and replant new varieties. But if you uproot an apple tree that is already bearing fruit and replant another one, you have it for at least five or six years, but at the same time it is necessary because without it we will not survive,” he said. He specifies.
Difficult for the successor
He also adds that the lack of funding could seriously harm the next generation of apple growers in the future, although it’s not too much of a problem for him right now.
“It is certain that we will need funding if we want to sustain this because the young people who are in the industry and buying orchards will have to adapt and that will be expensive.”
Irrigation and spraying are examples, with the number having increased from about seven per year to about twenty in 40 years, at a cost of about $600 per operation.
“The products cost $700 to $800 per liter. It is very expensive, but again, because of climate change, we have no choice, so these are costly adaptations,” he concluded.