A decision not to proceed with a state-of-the-art fruit packing plant in Kelowna left BC Tree Fruits Co-operative with no choice but to sell the property acquired for the purpose, says a respected grower. “After the decision to move to Oliver, the fate of the property was a done deal,” says Amarjit Singh Lalli, a co-op …
BCTF
Orchardists seek frost assistance
BC fruit growers are asking the province to step up and provide financial support following the devastating frost event earlier this month. Temperatures across the Southern Interior dipped towards -30° Celsius between January 11 and 13, leading to widespread concern for the 2024 crop following depressed market pricing in 2023 for both apples and cherries. …
Lake Country packing house sold
BC Tree Fruit Co-op has sold its Lake Country packing house as part of its long-term plan to consolidate operations. The sale, to an undisclosed buyer, closed on August 31, 2023 for $15.8 million. “This was a planned sale as part of the cooperative’s consolidation plan that began in August of 2022,” says Laurel Van …
BC Tree CEO on leave
BC Tree Fruits Cooperative CEO Warren Sarafinchan took an extended leave of absence, effective August 5, following a battle with COVID-19 and the toll four years of transformation at the co-op has taken. “This decision comes as he focuses on recovering from COVID and takes some much-needed time to rest with his family,” co-op chair …
Strategic partnership struck
The closure of BC Tree Fruit Co-operative’s packing lines in Kelowna and Winfield has opened the doors to a new partnership. While the co-op intends to consolidate packing operations for all fruit in Oliver, the closure of its Kelowna operations has opened the door to a partnership with Sandhu Fruit Farm in Summerland. Sandhu recently …
BC Tree challenge falls short
BC Tree Fruits Cooperative members narrowly defeated a motion to turf the co-op’s current board and management at a special general meeting in Peachland, November 22. The special meeting, held just two weeks before the co-op’s regular annual general meeting on December 12, was triggered by members opposed the co-op’s decision to consolidate its packing …