P.E.I.’s apple industry got a major boost this week with the news that a national company bought 150 acres to grow the fruit for export.
Canadian Nectar Product’s acquisition positions it to be the biggest grower in the province.
President Amarjeet Jatana said his company plans to plant high-density orchards and export apples to Europe and potentially North America.
“We see there’s tremendous potential exporting from P.E.I. to the rest of the world,” he said.
Jatana said Canadian Nectar chose the island because apples grow well here and because of last year’s free trade agreement between Canada and Europe.
Mike Beamish, president of the P.E.I. Apple Growers Association, said hearing about the big scale grower is welcome news.
“I think that tells the rest of P.E.I., the rest of Canada and the rest of the world, that we do and we can grow quality products here,” he said.
Beamish, who runs Beamish Orchard in Warren Grove, said other island growers feel the same. None objected when the issue was discussed at the last association meeting.
He said that while the island is best known for its potatoes, the new company could put P.E.I. on the map for apples as well.