In terms of filling the largest ocean-going bulk ship, that translates into twenty-two and a half years4. So why the huge difference?
The difference is probably due in a large part to the fact that peach trees take several years to mature and they stay in peak production for only a few years. It could also be due to under reporting (or non-reporting) of yields. On a national scale, Niagara is by the far the most important peach producing region in the country. In 1998, Niagara produced 83.4% of Canada’s peaches. The remainder of Ontario produced another 11.3%. The final 5.3% were produced in places outside of Ontario, primarily the Okanagon Valley in British Columbia5. Another way to size up Niagara’s peach crop is to compare it to California’s. Peach production estimates for 1999 in California were set at some 1.8 billion pounds6. That’s over 35 times the crop in Niagara. But size isn’t everything! Stop by our market and taste a peach… we think you’ll agree.
