Kelowna fruit growers gearing up to protest against move to Oliver

Kelowna area fruit growers are planning to rally tomorrow, Sept. 1, against B.C. Tree Fruits' plans to close its Lake Country packing house.

Growers are being asked to gather at the Ramada Hotel in Kelowna at 4:30 p.m., in advance of a 6:30 p.m. grower’s meeting.

Mike Mitchell, owner of B&T Orchards in Lake Country and a B.C. Tree Fruits Cooperative member, confirmed with iNFOnews.ca that the protest was happening but could not provide any further details.

The closure of the packing house is scheduled to happen this fall as soon as the apple crop is in. It will result in the loss of 90 jobs in Lake Country. Forty full-time jobs are to be added in Oliver.

B.C. Tree Fruits CEO Warren Sarafinchan did not respond to a call from iNFOnews.ca as of publication time.

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