KELOWNA — The fight over a genetically modified apple developed in the Okanagan is heating up. This week the BC Fruit Growers Association (BCFGA) appealed to the federal government for a moratorium on approving the controversial fruit.
“Last year at our AGM, all of our delegates 100% opposed GMO fruit,” said Jeet Duhkia, president of the BCFGA. “We have requested all national apple growing provinces, Nova Scotia, Quebec… have requested the federal government to put a moratorium on it right away.”
The Arctic Apple is a first of its kind. What makes it unique, it doesn’t brown after it is sliced open.
Fruit growers are scared this will make other apples unmarketable because everyone will associate Okanagan apples with GM fruit.
There are also concerns about cross pollination, but in previous interviews with Neil Carter — CEO of Okanagan Speciality Fruits — the maker of the the Arctic Apple, he dismissed those claims.
Okanagan Specialty Fruits maintains the apples have been tested and are safe and healthy. The company says there’s has been over a decade of real world testing in Washington state and there have been no problems so far.
The company hopes to get approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and United States Department of Agriculture in early 2014.
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