New group hopes to promote P.E.I. apple exports

Some of P.E.I.'s largeapple producers have formed a new group called theP.E.I. Tree Fruit Growers Association with the aim of better advocating for their growing sector of Island agriculture.

There is an existing P.E.I. Apple Growers' Association whose members run U-Pick operations or pack for the local P.E.I. market.

Nancy MacKay ispresident of the new group as well as an owner and operator of Red Shore Orchards, and sayswith an unprecedented amount ofapple acreage being planted in recent years, the commercial apple growers are eyeing the export market.

"The apple industry has taken off on P.E.I.," MacKaysaid, adding that more than 120 hectares (300 acres) of apples have been planted the last three years orabout 36,000 trees.

"With that comes need of other facilities," she said, like a packing and storing facility.

'Power in numbers'

The growers have come together because they have common interestsand thereis "power in numbers," MacKay said.

The associationis so far made up of Maple Farms, Red Shore Orchards and Arlington Orchards.

"We're going to really befocusingon making connections with export. We have a high plantation of Honeycrispapples on P.E.I. They grow very well here," said MacKay.

The group has already made preliminary connections with U.S. markets and hopes to be able to export there, she said, noting American customers love theHoneycrispvariety.

MacKayalso encouragedothers looking to get into the commercialindustry.

"There is lots of opportunity here for growing some high-class, well sought-after fruit. We are all together in this group, supporting and educating people and looking to build the future," she said.

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