Fruit and vegetable production, 2019
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Released: 2020-02-11
Fruit and vegetable sales were up 1.3% to $2.5 billion in 2019, mainly due to a 3.0% increase in the value of vegetables. The farm-gate value of vegetables grown in Canada rose for the ninth consecutive year. In contrast, the farm-gate value of fruits edged down 0.5%.
A decade of higher yields
Vegetable and fruit yields have trended upwards over the past decade. In 2019, total vegetable yields were up 1.5% from a year earlier and 6.0% above the 10-year average. While fruit yields were down 1.0% from a year earlier, they remained 13.1% above the 10-year average.
Marked increase in vegetable prices
Total farm-gate value of field vegetables rose 3.0% to $1.3 billion in 2019, due to higher yields and prices.
Despite the cold spring in Eastern Canada, asparagus production was up 14.2% to 10.2 million kilograms. In Ontario, Canada's largest asparagus-producing province, production increased 13.3% to its highest level on record. Nevertheless, asparagus accounted for 3.4% of the total value of vegetables in 2019, well below the value of carrots (10.3%), dry onions (8.5%), tomatoes (8.4%), total cabbage (6.8%) and total lettuce (6.3%).
Farm-gate prices were up for celery (+13.2%), regular radishes (+12.8%), rutabagas and turnips (+10.8%) and parsnips (+10.3%). Farmers also received better prices for watermelon (+7.1%), tomatoes (+6.2%), cauliflower (+5.4%) and broccoli (+5.3%).
Farmers reported higher yields for beets (+15.7%), beans (+7.6%), peppers (+6.7%) and asparagus (+6.4%) in 2019. Conversely, yields were down for parsnips (-7.3%) and rutabagas and turnips (-5.0%), likely attributable to inclement weather in October.
Chart 1
Farm-gate value of fruits and vegetables
Total fruit production hampered by difficult growing conditions
The total farm-gate value of fruit edged down 0.5% to $1.2 billion in 2019, mainly due to a 1.8% decline in the quantities sold. The decrease was partially offset by a 1.6% increase in prices.
Farm-gate values were down for sweet cherries (-11.5%) and raspberries (-9.4%), while cranberry (-5.3%), apple (-3.7%) and peach (-2.4%) farmers also reported declines. These declines were attributable to lower yields and less harvested area.
Apples (20.4%) accounted for just over one-fifth of the total value of fruit in 2019, followed by vinifera grapes (16.7%), high bush blueberries (15.5%), cranberries (11.5%) and strawberries (10.5%).
In British Columbia, production (-41.2%) and farm-gate value (-37.9%) of cranberries fell sharply in 2019, with farmers attributing the decline to a milder winter during which plants never entered full dormancy. Conversely, cranberry farmers in Quebec reported higher production (+15.8%) and farm-gate values (+13.3%).
The production of apples, strawberries, sweet cherries, nectarines, peaches, raspberries, and Saskatoon berries were all down from a year earlier. Weather conditions were a challenge for fruit producers across the country, marked by a shorter spring and fall season, an extremely cold winter in Western Canada and the impact of Hurricane Dorian in Nova Scotia.
In contrast, high bush blueberry (+20.8%) and sour cherry (+20.3%) production rose by one-fifth, while vinifera grape production increased 4.0%. Winemakers in British Columbia and Ontario were expecting 2019 to produce a good vintage because of favourable grape growing conditions.
Note to readers
As of 2018, kale is included in the "total cabbages" category. Prior to 2018, it was included in "other vegetables."
Prior to 2018, eggplants, kale, other herbs and sweet potatoes were included in "other vegetables."
Prior to 2018, blackberries, currants (black currants, red currants and white currants) and haskaps were included in the "other fruit" category.
Farm-gate value is the value received by producers at the point of first transaction, when ownership first changes hands. This value excludes any separately billed costs such as delivery, storage, marketing and administrative.
Changes in methodology were made to the Fruit and Vegetable Survey beginning in 2018. For more information on the methodology changes, consult the webpage for the Integrated Business Statistics Program, available in the Behind the data feature of our website.
The Agriculture and food statistics portal, accessible from the Subjects module of our website, provides users a single point of access to a wide variety of information related to agriculture and food.
Contact information
For more information, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca).
To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Serge DesRoches (613-866-6924; serge.desroches@canada.ca), Agriculture Division.
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