Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
August 29, 2016
The Canada and Manitoba governments have invested more than $210,000 in a new vegetable research site near Winkler, Manitoba. The research will focus on improving yields, developing new varieties and creating opportunities for potato, sweet potato and carrot growers, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced today.
Funding will support research focused on:
- nutrient and pest management for potatoes;
- new varieties of sweet potato that are better suited for Manitoba’s shorter growing season; and
- variety evaluation and crop management techniques to improve quality and yield for carrots.
The research site will be operated by Peak of the Market, a grower-owned cooperative responsible for selling Manitoba’s fresh market potatoes and other vegetables. The company will contribute more than $477,000 toward this three-year research project.
Canadians are eating more sweet potatoes and demand has increased by 83 per cent over the last 10 years. Most are currently imported from the United States. Local growers are currently unable to meet the increased demand as available varieties are not suited to Manitoba’s shorter growing season.
Manitoba farmers grow more than 9,000 acres of fresh market potatoes and 600 acres of carrots for Peak of the Market every year. The company and its growers employ more than 1,000 people in Manitoba.
The federal and provincial governments are investing $176 million in cost-shared programming in Manitoba under Growing Forward 2, a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial policy framework to advance the agriculture industry, helping producers and processors become more innovative and competitive in world markets.
Quotes
“Our Government is proud to support research for the improvement of yields and the development of new vegetable varieties in Canada. This investment will help Canada’s vegetable farmers expand their markets in Canada and abroad, creating new opportunities and generating greater returns for Canadian farmers."
- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“This research project will provide Manitoba’s growers with relevant information to help them make decisions for their farm, while also identifying new opportunities for the future. Vegetables are important crops for the province’s farmers and for our agriculture industry, while also having the added benefit of making more affordable, nutritious and locally-grown food available for Manitobans."
- Ralph Eichler, Minister of Manitoba Agriculture
“We appreciate working in partnership with government, which will allow us to continue to build the industry. New crops and varieties are a key component to ongoing success.”
- Keith Kuhl, chair of Peak of the Market and president of Southern Potato
Additional links
Topics
Species
