Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Ontario's greenhouse industry is booming

Thursday, July 26, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

The Ontario greenhouse growers’ group move into its newly constructed office building this spring is helping to facilitate overall growth in the sector, says spokesman George Gilvesy.

The move into the 5,500 square foot building in Leamington also reflects the advancing needs of Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers’ members. The building has a large, technologically advanced conference room with seating for about 80 people making it possible for the organization to host on-site meetings and educational opportunities with its more than 220 members who grow greenhouse tomato, cucumbers and bell peppers.

The organization made the move into the new building after it outgrew its previous location. The Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, operating since 1967, had been renting facilities for many years.

Ontario is a greenhouse vegetable-producing powerhouse accounting for 63.3 per cent of Canadian greenhouse vegetable and fruit sales last year, according to Statistics Canada’s Greenhouse, Sod and Nursery Industries Report, 2011 released in May. Sales of greenhouse, nursery and sod products in Canada rose 1.3 per cent to nearly $3.3 billion last year and the increase was mostly the result of a 5.3 per cent gain in greenhouse vegetable and fruit sales, which reached $1.1 billion.

The number of greenhouses in Canada last year, 3,220, declined slightly from 3,285 in 2010 but the total area they covered increased to nearly 23 million square metres in 2011 from 22.5 million square metres in 2010. Most of the expansion was in greenhouse vegetables, Statistics Canada says.

Gilvesy, general manager of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, says increased sales correspond almost directly to an increase in provincial acreage. In Ontario, acreage went to 2,067 this year from 1,919 in 2011.

imageIncreased demand for greenhouse products

Increased demand for greenhouse products is driving the expansion. “There is an increase in greenhouse products available at retail and in some cases displacing field products,” he says.

Statistics Canada notes that for the fifth consecutive year in 2011, the value of greenhouse vegetable sales exceeded the sales of field vegetables. Sales of tomatoes, the most valuable crop, rose four per cent to $496 million, while pepper sales were up 7.7 per cent to $300 million and cucumber sales increased 5.3 per cent to $279 million. All numbers here compare 2011 to 2010.

“We’re seeing in some cases a tradeoff,” Gilvesy says. “Some retailers are electing not to put field product on their shelves and they’re putting greenhouse on for the full year.”

Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec growers accounted for 95.6 per cent of greenhouse vegetable and fruit sales in 2011 with Ontario alone representing 63.3 per cent.

For this year, growth is expected to continue in the Ontario greenhouse sector. Gilvesy says it will be almost equivalent to last year.  

The expansion of total greenhouse area across Canada was accompanied by a 0.3 per cent increase in total operating expenses, Statistics Canada says. Labour costs rose three per cent to $616 million in 2011 compared to 2010 and that accounted for 29.2 per cent of total expenses. The total number of seasonal and permanent greenhouse workers fell 2.2 per cent to 36,110 in 2011 compared to 2010.

There are some challenges in the market this year. Gilvesy says there’s an abundance of tomatoes due mainly to a large supply and increases in Mexican production. Florida growers are talking about reinstating their anti-dumping case against Mexico that had been suspended by agreement between the two sides since first being launched in 1996.

On the flower side, Statistics Canada says sales and resales of greenhouse flowers and plants fell 0.1 per cent to $1.4 billion. The main factor was a drop in ornamental bedding plant sales for transplanting, which was down 12.8 per cent in 2011 compared to 2010. Floriculture represented 55.1 per cent of total greenhouse product sales in 2011. BF

 

Current Issue

May 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

New board members for Ontario Pork

Friday, April 25, 2025

Ontario Pork, an association representing the 1,898 pork farms that market 5.9 million hogs in the province, has announced its new board lineup for 2025. As a Guelph, Ontario-headquartered organization, Ontario Pork is engaged in the areas of research, government representation,... Read this article online

Sheep farmers win Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Sheep farmers and wool producers from Wallenstein, Ont. are Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025. “It’s great to be recognized by your peers in the industry with an award like that,” Ryan Schill told Farms.com. “When we started the sheep farm, there were people questioning us... Read this article online

Ontario ag connections in the NHL playoffs

Tuesday, April 22, 2025

The 2025 NHL playoffs are underway, and some of hockey’s biggest names got their start on an Ontario farm or have invested in agriculture since becoming professional athletes. Farms.com went through each of the 16 playoff team rosters to uncover which players have a connection to... Read this article online

New Alcohol Trade Freedom in Ontario

Thursday, April 17, 2025

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has welcomed Ontario’s bold step in eliminating trade barriers and allowing direct alcohol sales to consumers. This new legislation aims to ease internal trade across provinces and support small businesses. One of the key changes... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top