WATCH: While the demand for BC agricultural products has been growing steadily over the years — it’s not quite enough to guarantee success for farmers. Linda Aylesworth reports the changes they’re making.
For 17 years, the Pacific Agriculture Show has been a place for the province’s growers and sellers to showcase the latest improvements, innovations and trends to the industry.
It was no different on Friday’s opening day at Abbotsford’s Tradex Exhibition Centre, whether it was the humane ways cows are being cared for, or the ways potatoes are grown.
“In the past, we produced potatoes, and it was a potato,” said Reg Engs of the B.C. Agriculture Council. “You didn’t really care about the potato. As the foodie trend continues, there’s different types of potatoes, we’re experimenting more, different cultures, we’re integrating the flavours from those cultures.”
“There’s a segment of the food market that wants to know the story behind their food, if it’s sustainable, if it’s healthy, what have the farmers done with it.”
CHART: WHAT ARE B.C.’S BIGGEST AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS?
One product that has gained increasing prominence over the years at this convention are blueberries. B.C. has gone from growing 69 million pounds in 2007 to an estimated 152 million pounds last year. It’s now the third largest agrifood export in all of B.C., behind Atlantic Salmon and Food Preparation for Manufacturing.
READ MORE: Goji berries a new hot ‘superfood’ in B.C.
Overall, the agriculture industry in B.C. is “changing, not growing” according to Ens, although exports have risen from $2.35 billion in 2004 to $2.68 billion in 2013. But he says the industry is in a strong place going forward.
“In countries across the world they’ve got increased disposable income, the middle class wants high quality safe food, and they know B.C. has that image and can deliver that.”
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