Local grower Jack Dewit says cranberries love to soak up vitamin D.
So with the seemingly endless run of sunshine that shone on Glen Valley over the summer and early fall months, it鈥檚 no surprise top-notch berries are being collected from his family鈥檚 fields located on the north side of River Road, just east of 264 Street.
鈥淭he berry quality is really good this year,鈥� Dewit said. 鈥淭hat probably has something to do with the warm, dry summer, so we haven鈥檛 had a lot of fruit rot. Fruit rot is something that we deal with on an ongoing basis. We鈥檙e only partially into harvest, here, but from what I鈥檝e seen, the quality of fruit is very good.鈥�
However, according to the Mike Wallis, executive director of the B.C. Cranberry Growers鈥� Association, this summer鈥檚 dry conditions have .
鈥淚 know a lot of farmers are waiting for the colour on the berries to come in,鈥� said Wallis. 鈥淭here has been some early harvesting in Richmond, but the bulk of it is a matter of just having to wait until the berries ripen.鈥�
On Wednesday, Dewit and sons Brian and Colin were busily harvesting the seasonal tart red berries in advance of Saturday鈥檚 in downtown Fort 91原创.
Saturday鈥檚 festival in Fort 91原创, celebrating its 22nd year, takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and in recent years has drawn about 60,000 people. For more on the event visit: .
The cranberry season started on Sept. 21 with the first berries for the fresh market being harvested, quickly followed on Sept. 25 with berries that will end up in juices, sauces, sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins) and more.
October is when the bulk of the cranberry production goes to the receiving stations, Dewit explained.
鈥淲e are excited to see harvest is underway, knowing our growers have put in lots of hard work to grow another excellent crop,鈥� BC Cranberry Marketing Commission chairman Jack Brown said.
Cranberries are a booming business in B.C.
There are 70 registered growers in B.C., and they are stewards of nearly 6,500 acres of cranberries around the province, with four licensed agencies.
In 2016, B.C. produced more than a million barrels (one barrel equals 100 pounds of berries).
More than 90 per cent of B.C. cranberry producers are members of Ocean Spray, and most of the province鈥檚 cranberries are used for 鈥淐raisins.鈥�
About the BC Cranberry Commission
The BC Cranberry Marketing Commission (BCCMC) has been a part of BC cranberry farming since 1968.
The BCCMC regulates in any and all respects, the transportation, processing, packing, storage and marketing of any variety of cranberries grown in the province of British Columbia.
鈥� Files from Tim Fitzgerald, Black Press
