B.C.'s tree fruit and grape growers will have $8 million from the provincial and federal governments to help deal with declining prices and increasing competition from imported fruits.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and B.C.'s Ministry of Agriculture and Lands are funding a program to help B.C. tree fruit and grape growers renew plant stock and develop strategic plans to deal with difficult market conditions.
Details of the program will be made available in the fall, however, it could include more initiatives to fund research and development of new varieties of fruit to combat falling prices and reduced demand for B.C. fruit.
The program builds on the federal government's excise tax exemption introduced last year for Canadian wines made from 100% Canadian grapes and financial assistance from the Canadian Vintners Association to develop international markets.