Farmers hopeful BC Tree Fruits can be saved despite private company setting up at former site

For nan first clip since nan BC Tree Fruits Cooperative went into receivership successful precocious July, apples are erstwhile again arriving astatine 1 of its sites successful Kelowna.

But it’s not nan co-op operating nan site. A backstage institution is successful nan process of buying nan Sexsmith Road retention facility.

“We conscionable started yet receiving apples present yesterday truthful it’s been a engaged tract nan past mates of days,” NOVEM CEO Colin Davison said. “We were capable to get into nan installation connected an emergency lease nan opening of September, thankfully, while we adjacent connected nan transaction to acquisition nan facility.”

NOVEM is successful nan business of storing pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products arsenic good arsenic agri-food.

“This installation will return astir 25 cardinal pounds of apples,” Davison said. “So far, we’re astir 60 per cent. The installation is astir 60 per cent taken up.”

While galore erstwhile co-op members are thankful for nan lifeline during pome harvest season, they’re disheartened that backstage companies are taking complete their assets.

“Upset and angry that nan authorities didn’t travel to nan array and location was ne'er a remark made that an 88-year-old institution should beryllium saved,” said Amarjit Singh Lalli, a longtime co-op member.

Lalli is still holding retired dream nan co-op tin beryllium saved but pinch a Nov. 30 deadline for nan court-ordered waste of assets to close, nan timepiece is ticking.

“Time is our biggest force correct now, and truthful we’re doing everything successful our powerfulness to partner pinch different organizations to put a due connection together, to revive nan co-op, restructure it successful a measurement that it will tally much efficiently,” Lalli told Global News.

Whether it’s successful aliases not, farmers are calling for an investigation into what went incorrect and really nan co-op committee allowed nan statement to accrue a indebtedness of astir $60 million.

“We’d for illustration to spot nan government, whichever 1 is formed, to travel guardant and do a thorough investigation arsenic to really an 88-year-old institution went under, particularly pinch 2 authorities reps sitting astatine nan array watching this happen,” Lalli said.

As members proceed their conflict to prevention nan co-op, NOVEM is looking up and already readying to build a 2nd retention installation connected nan Sexsmith Road site.

It’s besides willing successful acquiring nan longtime BC Tree Fruits brand.

“It’s recognized worldwide,” Davison said. “So we don’t want to spot that spell to waste. You know, we’d for illustration to usage nan brand.”

Davison said NOVEM will beryllium among immoderate different perchance willing companies that will bid connected acquiring nan BC Tree Fruits marque erstwhile nan clip comes.

BC Tree Fruits Cooperative has assets crossed nan Okanagan Valley, including a new, state-of-the-art $50-million sorting and packaging works successful Oliver.