American berry giant Driscoll’s teamed up with Sébastien Dugré, co-owner of Massé Nursery in Saint-Paul-d’Abbotsford, Que., to test whether commercial production of blueberries and raspberries is viable in the province. Quebec’s colder climate can limit berry crops, so growing them on a larger scale is unusual for this part of Canada. Dugré started testing last year and managed to harvest almost 80 tons of fruit this year. “There is definitely a learning curve. Last year was tough, this year is much better, we have better fruit,” he said. Dugré uses dome-like tunnels to protect the plants from the rain while creating a microclimate that is warmer for the plants. All help him start earlier in the spring and finish later in the fall, extending the growing season. “There are big companies that are interested in doing business in Canada … for me this is a good opportunity,” Dugré said. While there may be windfalls for some developing regions, the change in agriculture amplifies the enormous challenges they face as the world adapts to climate change and extreme weather events that increase in frequency and intensity. Sébastien Dugré is co-owner of Massé Nursery in Saint-Paul-d’Abbotsford, Que. He has partnered with Driscoll’s to test the commercial production of blueberries and raspberries. (Karl Boulanger/CBC)
Changing conditions
Driscoll’s is also working with a few other growers in Ontario, while another US fruit vendor, Naturipe Farms, is experimenting with blueberries and raspberries in Ontario and Quebec. While there’s a lot of trial and error, working with bigger players can be worthwhile for Canadian growers, says Mary Doidge, an assistant professor of agricultural economics at McGill University in Montreal. “Companies like Driscoll’s that have a little more capital may be able to take those risks,” he said. Changing climate conditions are not the only motivation for testing. High transportation costs make it comparatively cheaper to grow and ship within Canada. “The fact that Canada is becoming more attractive has to do with the conditions here and how they’re changing, but also the conditions in the places where these companies are already producing,” said Doidge. In California, labor shortages are a growing concern. And as prolonged drought and water scarcity become more common, the costs of protecting crops and pumping water to farms are rising, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Soren Bjorn, president of Driscoll’s, says that by using technology and the latest genetics, his company can actually have a sustainable season in Canada. “We will definitely grow and with more growers and more hectares… we think over time that will be a good risk mitigation.” Berry giant Driscoll’s has been conducting tests to see if blueberries and raspberries can be grown in Quebec’s comparatively colder climate. (Karl Boulanger/CBC)
Redesign of the map
Farmers around the world are redrawing the agricultural map as the world warms. In Italy, the Morettino family runs a coffee roasting business and successfully produced the coffee for the first time last year. They planted 60 Arabica coffee plants, which were able to adapt to the Sicilian climate – much further north than where coffee is traditionally grown near the equator. “We are witnessing strong climate changes that should make us think about the present and the future of our earth,” Andrea Morettino wrote in a blog post about the experience. The Morettino family managed to successfully grow coffee in Palermo, Sicily, for the first time last year. (Moretti) Other areas are predicted to become less suitable for cultivation. For example, a study published in the journal Plos One earlier this year estimated that by 2050, Peru could lose more than half of the areas suitable for growing avocados due to climate change. “As we have this volatility in the weather, not just that the temperature is higher every day, but it’s really the volatility, we see our production disrupted quite significantly,” Bjorn said. “When you have disruption in one place, you have to have another place that can hopefully mitigate some of the consequences in the market.” But while there are opportunities for Canada as climate conditions change, this country is not immune to extreme weather events. Drought has decimated prairie grain crops in recent years, while extreme flooding in B.C. last November they affected many berry farms. However, growers like Dugré know they must adapt to survive. “It’s a never-ending process, adjusting every year, and 30 years from now we’ll still be adjusting.”
