While the greenhouse pepper industry is between seasons right now, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers General Manager, Rick Seguin, says hopefully that will change in the future. With acreage for red, yellow and orange peppers increasing every year, they’re currently researching lighting options for various crops to increase to year-round production. Peppers currently run about 10 months a year. “We could end up being year-round on peppers (in the future),” he said. “I think our growers would like to be year-round if possible but there are various constraints to be overcome first.”
A big challenge for the greenhouse sector is Ontario’s cap and trade program. “We estimate it’s going to cost greenhouse growers an additional $6,200/acre to heat their greenhouses because of the cap and trade.” That equates to around $80,000 for the average farm of 13 acres. Additionally, Seguin says, having access to enough electricity grid is also an issue. Growers need access to enough capacity in the pipelines for natural gas. “We continue to push for those issues to be addressed,” he said.
Last year was an average year for peppers but it’s encouraging that acreage was up from the previous year. “In fact, our sector overall has been growing for the last decade at about six percent a year and that’s no different for peppers,” said Seguin. 2016’s pepper season ended somewhat early – by the end of November all peppers had been pulled out of the greenhouses and growers were preparing for the new season. The new season for availability should begin in February. Out of the more than 200 greenhouse growers in Ontario, over 50 grow peppers, with reds being the largest crop.
About 70 percent of all greenhouse produce gets sent to the US, with the remainder for Canada and other countries around the world. The US receives much of the crop due to proximity. Much of the US population is within a day’s trucking of the key production area (Southwestern Ontario). Seguin says shipping over the border allows growers to access a huge market. “Volume keeps going up, acreage keeps going up and we keep selling them,” he said.
The organization will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2017 and will be celebrating throughout the year.
For more information:
Rick Seguin, General Manager
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
Ph: 1-800-265-6926