As the weather warms up in British Columbia, greenhouse growers are starting to pick up the volume on vegetables. Though it's still early in the season to predict how the rest of the year will shape up, things appear to be on track for a normal season.“Volumes are low, but customarily low because production is just starting,” said Tom Demma of the British Columbia Vegetable Marketing Commission. “Production will increase month by month.” Volumes typically start increasing in April and wind down in November. Though there are a few winter producers in the area, many of the greenhouse operations are just now producing output. That output, according to Demma, looks much like that of other years.
“We anticipate customary volume patterns and quality patterns,” he said. “Everybody's busy working and getting their greenhouses tuned up, and we haven't seen any negative developments.” Likewise, it's too early to tell how the market will receive this year's produce, which is shipped throughout the western parts of Canada and the United States, but nothing points to anything other than a normal year.
“There's nothing to indicate a price depression or price peak,” said Demma. “I would say the market's comparative to other years at this time. Everybody's waiting to see how the market plays out because it's still early.”