Industry Profile and Significance
2011 Highlights
- Agrifood production in British Columbia is distinguished by its diversity.
- The province’s varied landscapes and climates coupled with proximity to large local and export markets has enabled our farmers to produce an astounding array of agriculture products.
- The industry’s nearly 20,000 farms utilized 2.6 million hectares – less than three per cent of the provincial land base – to produce more than 200 agriculture and agrifood commodities.
- British Columbia is also known as a global leader in seafood production, with more than 100 species of fish, shellfish and marine plants produced from B.C’s oceans and fresh waters in 2011.K
- British Columbia’s agriculture, seafood and agrifood sectors generated $10.9 billion in combined gross revenues and exported $2.4 billion worth of products to more than 140 countries.
- Of these totals, the province’s seafood sector generated revenues of $800 million and exports of $900 million in 2011.
British Columbia Agriculture Sector
Agriculture Industry Performance
- The industry’s nearly 20,000 farms utilized 2.6 million hectares – less than three per cent of the provincial land base – to produce more than 200 agriculture and agrifood commodities.
- Provincial agriculture farm cash receipts for grains and oilseeds, tree fruits, berries, grapes, field and greenhouse vegetables, floriculture, nursery, forage and other crops, cattle, hogs, poultry, eggs, dairy, honey and other animals and animal products totalled $2.6 billion in 2011.
Fruits and Nuts
- A wide variety of high quality berries, wine grapes, tree-fruits and nuts are produced on nearly 61,000 acres of farmland, generating total combined farm revenues of $283 million.
- B.C. is Canada’s largest producer of blueberries, raspberries, apricots, and sweet cherries and second largest producer of cranberries, peaches, pears, nectarines, plums, and grapes; ranking first in Canada in terms of fruit sales in 2011, and accounting for over one-third of the total farm-gate value of fruit produced across the country.
Vegetables
- More than 35 types of vegetables were commercially grown by B.C. farmers in 2011, producing over 268,000 metric tonnes of vegetables on close to 18,000 acres of farmland, with total combined revenues of $442 million.
Greenhouse Vegetables
- Total revenue from the greenhouse industry contributed $265 million to the economy of B.C. in 2011, with operations covering nearly 5.5 million square metres.
- B.C. produced 33 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse peppers, 13 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse cucumbers, and 24 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse tomatoes.
Livestock and Poultry Products
- Total farm sales from livestock and poultry production of cattle, pigs, sheep, lambs, chickens, turkeys, bison, fallow deer and other animal products reached $1.3 billion in 2011.
Grains and Oilseeds
- Just over 300,000 tonnes of grains and oilseeds were produced by B.C. farmers in 2011, on just over 327 thousand acres, and generating a market value of close to $43 million.
Food and Beverage Processing
- The food and beverage processing industry was the largest among B.C.’s manufacturing industries in 2011, generating $7.5 billion in shipments and employing over 18 per cent of the province’s manufacturing workforce.
Agricultural Exports
- In 2011, the value of British Columbia agriculture exports grew seven per cent to $1.5 billion, including:
- $268 million worth of fruit and nut products,
- $233 million worth of vegetable products,
- $139 million greenhouse vegetables,
- $209 million worth of live animals, meat and animal products; and
- $34 million worth of grains and oilseeds.
- British Columbia agriculture’s top five markets in 2011 include the United States, Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan; fastest growing markets were South Korea and Taiwan.
More details
For full story please refer to
Agrifood Industry Year in Review 2011 and
2011 BC Agrifoods Export Highlight
British Columbia Seafood Production
Seafood Industry Performance
- More than 100 species of fish, shellfish and marine plants were produced from British Columbia’s oceans and fresh waters in 2011
- Provincial production totalled 262,600 tonnes with a landed value of $810.2 million.
- Commercial capture fisheries harvested 168,800 tonnes worth $344.8 million to the fishers;
- While aquaculture operations produced 93,800 tonnes with a farm-gate value of $465.4 million.
Salmon Story
- British Columbia’s salmon production was 103,600 tonnes, generating a landed value of $481.5 million; accounting for 40 per cent of all seafood production in B.C. in 2011.
Shellfish Story
- The total shellfish harvest from the capture fisheries and culture operations was 24,400 tonnes in 2011 and contributed $146.3 million or nine per cent to the total B.C. seafood harvest.
Groundfish Story
- The total groundfish harvest of 99,600 tonne generated a landed value of $134.3 million in 2011, contributing 17 per cent of the total landed value of B.C. total seafood harvest.
Other
- More than 10 per cent of British Columbia’s seafood harvest (27,600 tonnes) with landed value of $44.3 million comes from lesser known or less abundant species, including 5,400 tonnes of albacore tuna, and 20,700 tonnes of sardines.
Herring Story
- The combined harvest from the three fisheries (food & bait, spawn on kelp, and roe herring) was 7,400 tonnes in 2011 generating an income of $3.8 million; including
- 700 tonnes herring food and bait fishery
- 6,600 tonnes roe herring fishery
- 100 tonnes Herring spawn-on-kelp
Seafood Exports
- About 80 per cent of British Columbia’s seafood is exported. In 2011, B.C. exported $911 million worth of seafood products to 73 countries, including
- $467.2 million worth of salmon products
- $153.4 million worth of groundfish
- 37.4 million worth of other seafood products
- In 2011, 89 per cent of B.C.’s total seafood export value was destined for five countries: the United States (57 per cent), China (12 per cent), Japan (12 per cent), Hong Kong (5 per cent), and Russian Federation (3 per cent).
For full story please refer to
Seafood Industry Year in Review 2011 and
2011 BC Agrifoods Export Highlight
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