Photo courtesy of the B.C. Cherry Association

By Liam Verster

Cherry Exports

Okanagan cherries find new market in Asia

Aug 12, 2022 | 5:00 AM

Cherries grown in the Okanagan are going to South Korea.

Canada’s Market Access Secretariat has announced that Canadian cherries have been granted market access to South Korea, and that the first shipment will come from the Okanagan.

In a release, the B.C. Cherry Association (BCCA) said getting cherries to Korea has been in the works for the past seven years, and that providing Korean officials with details on the cherry growing and packaging practices was at the centre of the negotiations.

Two Kelowna companies, Northern Cherries Inc. and Jealous Fruits Ltd., have been engaging in careful pest monitoring procedures and detailed reporting to ensure their packing facilities met the demands set out in the new agreement.

These Okanagan growers will send the first trial shipments in August so the two countries can assess the procedures and make any necessary adjustments. The BCCA says this will pave the way for full access to South Korea for the Canadian cherry industry by 2023.

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“This announcement and this year’s pilot program would not have happened without the efforts of these people,” said BCCA president, Sukhpaul Bal.

“The growers carried out all sorts of extra work with no guarantee that they could ship their fruit this year. And the Canadian Food Inspection Agency staff working on this portfolio went above and beyond to ensure we met all the requirements for market access, with their people working evenings and weekends to ensure everything went smoothly.”

The BCCA stated that being able to ship cherries to South Korea is expected to be a boost to B.C.’s economy, as approximately 95 per cent of Canadian sweet cherries are grown in the Interior of B.C.

“We are looking forward to continuing to develop relationships with our Korean friends as we meet their demand for high quality cherries,” added Bal.

British Columbia exported almost $79-million in cherries in 2021 and is anticipated to export close to $90-million this year.