B.C. wine, fruit industries in crisis mode, need gov’t help: Falcon

“This is probably one of the worst things that have ever happened to that sector.”

BC United Party leader Kevin Falcon says the province’s fruit and wine region needs help, immediately, in the wake of last month’s fruit-killing cold snap.

Orchardists in the Southern Interior are predicting crop losses of 80 to 90 per cent, with the BC Wine Industry saying this year’s vintage could be wiped out.

“It’s why we’ve called for the government to treat it like the crisis it is,” Falcon said on Thursday.

2:42 B.C. wine industry facing catastrophic crop losses

He said the NDP needs to “set up an emergency management team and start working with the industry, figure out how we deal with this.”

Miles Prodan, the president and CEO of Wine Growers BC, told Global News earlier this month they knew the damage was bad, but they didn’t think it was going to be this devastating.

“We’ll see what happens in the spring, but we’re anticipating and planning for the worst-case scenario,” said Prodan.

“That’s the vines and the grapes. What we’re more worried about are the trunks and the damage there. The vines could possibly survive and come back, but if there’s too much damage to the trunks, that’s a replant program.”

He continued, saying “Catastrophic is the word that we’re using and we’re not overstating it. Wineries are now thinking about what can they do to replace those grapes, and they’re starting to look at bringing grapes and wine from outside (the region).”

4:50 Severe cold snap causes catastrophic damage to B.C. grapes, report says

Falcon also touched on the booze war between B.C. and Alberta, and how Okanagan wineries can no longer send direct shipments to consumers east of the Rocky Mountains.

In January, Alberta began blocking imports of B.C. wine, claiming that 106 wineries were guilty of bypassing liquor agencies by using direct-to-consumer shipping.

“Suppliers from other provinces that offer direct-to-consumer shipping are in contravention of provincial legislation,” the AGLC said in a statement to Global News.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a deterioration in the relationship under this NDP government with the Alberta government,” said Falcon.

2:11 Alberta makes wine pitch to B.C. to end wine war

“While I was in government, with Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark, you’ll recall that we had joint cabinet meetings with the Alberta government, working closely with them to reduce barriers to trade, including the wine sector.”

Falcon continued, saying “These issues happen because there’s, frankly, a lack of respect between the premiers. And that carries right on through their whole governments, and that’s unfortunate.”