Lack of labor continues to be an issue for BC fruit producers

British Columbian pear and apple growers are struggling due to a lack of temporary foreign labor caused by COVID-19 as their harvest season begins. COVID-19 has limited the number of foreign workers coming to the country and those that do arrive are subject to strict mandatory quarantines. Having started in the early summer during cherry and blueberry harvests, the issue of labor shortage has now been moved on to pear and apple producers as those seasons have wound down.