In the south Okanagan region of British Columbia, wine grape growers are facing challenges in selling their fruit this year, despite a promising season following two years of severe winter damage. The growers are struggling to find buyers for their grapes, partly due to a provincial program allowing wineries to import grapes from the United States, leading to an oversaturated market.
Amarjeet Gill, a farmer near Osoyoos, B.C., has around 100 tonnes of red wine grapes remaining on his vines, and he is finding it extremely difficult to sell them. Despite the high quality and sugar levels of his Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes, Gill is worried about his loan repayments as the grapes should have been harvested two weeks ago.
Winery owner Jesse Gill, not related to Amarjeet, has heard similar concerns from other growers in the region. He attributes the struggles of growers to sell their harvest to the provincial government’s decision to extend the vintage replacement program. This program relaxes regulations on importing wine grapes and juice from the U.S. and other regions, introduced in response to the devastating cold snap that hit the industry last year.
With some growers still facing challenges in selling their fruit, Jesse Gill has opened up extra tank space at his Back Door Winery in Summerland to accommodate unsold grapes. The winery has secured an additional 100,000 liters of tank space to take in grapes from several growers, launching a campaign named “Save the Grapes” to prevent the fruit from going to waste.
While some blame the import program for the growers’ struggles, industry leader Jeff Guignard believes market conditions play a significant role. He stated that the vintage replacement program was extended in late September, and growers facing difficulties in late October may simply be impacted by market dynamics. Guignard emphasized efforts to promote the purchase of B.C. grapes first, including a dedicated online marketplace for growers.
Agriculture Minister Lana Popham mentioned that the wine industry advocated for the program extension due to the shortage of local grapes but assured that the program will not continue beyond this year.