害羞草研究所淓verybody害羞草研究所檚 drowning right now.害羞草研究所�

That害羞草研究所檚 the state of the B.C. fruit industry, according to Pinder Dhaliwal, president of the BC Fruit Growers Association (BCFGA).

Dhaliwal made his metaphor following the BCFGA annual general meeting in Penticton on Feb. 12 and 13.

He said the increasing minimum wage and possible changes to piece rates are negatively impacting local orchards. Meantime, local farmers are not seeing an increase in returns.

READ MORE: Temporary farm workers using Kelowna homeless shelter

Minimum wage in B.C. will be be $13.85 per hour as of June 1, 2019, and for foreign workers the employers must also cover the cost of airfare and housing.

害羞草研究所淭he wages have increased, but we need to see a fair deduction for some of the other inputs,害羞草研究所� said Dhaliwal. 害羞草研究所淲hen you take in the cost of housing, with electrical and everything, and airfare, that害羞草研究所檚 way more than minimum wage.

害羞草研究所淟ast year, we had integrity audits happening, so that put a stop on a lot of the workers come from Mexico or the Caribbean countries,害羞草研究所� he added.

For workers coming from other parts of Canada 害羞草研究所� Dhaliwal said 4,500 to 5,000 youth come from Quebec and Ontario to help harvest apples and cherries 害羞草研究所攅mployers may also choose to pay a regulated piece rate.

As of Jan. 1, 2019, the rate is $21.06 a bin for apples, $22.38 a half bin for peaches and $0.277 a pound for cherries.

Dhaliwal said the B.C. government will soon be reviewing those rates, which could result in more losses for local orchards.

He said the BCFGA is going to approach the government and emphasize the importance of farmers.

害羞草研究所淭hey protected the land, but they forgot about the farmer,害羞草研究所� he said.

READ MORE: Difficult year for Okanagan fruit growers

Dan Taylor with Cawston Cold Storage Ltd. said there are pros and cons to hiring orchard workers by the minimum wage or by the piece rate, but in his experience, they typically work out to the same.

He said this may change as the minimum wage increases, but he is still seeing a spike in operational costs elsewhere.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just overall in the industry that the wage has gone up, and the returns to the grower have not gone up,害羞草研究所� said Taylor. 害羞草研究所淐rop insurance has gone up quite substantially, too. It害羞草研究所檚 costing me quite a bit more to have my acreage insured than it used to.

害羞草研究所淲hether you go with organic or conventional (farming), the cost of the inputs in the last five years has doubled, but our return isn害羞草研究所檛 going up,害羞草研究所� he added.

Donny Espet-Post at EP Orchards said he is unable to afford hiring workers, something that likely won害羞草研究所檛 change with the cost of operations increasing.

害羞草研究所淚 do the work myself for nothing. Not until the food pays, I can害羞草研究所檛 do anything,害羞草研究所� said Espet-Post. 害羞草研究所淚 could use help, but I can害羞草研究所檛 afford to pay anybody.害羞草研究所�

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

Jordyn Thomson | Reporter
 
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