HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2016-05-11, Page 11Wednesday, May 11, 2016 • News Record 11
Ginseng farmers hope to rebound
Michael -Allan Marion
Expositor Staff
Ontario ginseng growers are
presiding over one of the largest
fresh plantings in several years
as they recover from two crop
years of devastating losses to
spring frost.
Growers hope to take advan-
tage of higher prices in a market
buoyed by strong demand.
"We've had some pretty
good prices that are leading
growers to plant more," said
Carl Atkinson, chairman of the
Ontario Ginseng Growers
Association.
"The market is there, but the
weather hasn't co-operated.
The markets have been strong
so we had substantial plant-
ings in the last two years that
have been larger than in previ-
ous years."
Until 2013, the North Ameri-
can market dominated by the
Ontario ginseng patch's grow-
ers in Norfolk, Brant and Oxford
counties was marked by lower
prices, a slack market due to
oversupply, and a decline in
grower numbers to about 130
members, Atkinson said.
In 2014, however, the glut
had cleared and growers were
encouraged to plant more
beds. But a frost that spring put
a freeze on their ardour even
as prices began to rise to above
$30 per pound. Then a devas-
tating frost on May 23, 2015
practically wiped out many
fresh plantings and stunted
second- and third -year beds,
but consequently caused
prices for last year's harvest to
rise above $40 per pound.
The best root was fetching
more than $45 per pound.
Growers had planted more
than 2,000 acres in each of
those two years, only to see
their efforts stunted by frost
plant diseases caused by damp
growing conditions. They made
their money in higher prices on
third- and fourth-year root
harvests.
It's unknown at this point how
much growers are planting,
because the association doesn't
keep statistics and the growers
are wary of divulging much
information about their opera-
tions, Atkinson said. But he con-
cedes it's a good bet that plant-
ings will be strong again.
Portents are favourable this
spring, with prices still high
and good early growing condi-
tions, said Atkinson.
"The weather has been co-
operating. Temperatures are a
bit cooler right now, making
seeds a bit slower to germinate,
but that's not necessarily a bad
thing," he said.
"It's also drier, with less rain,
which means there's less disease
pressure on plants."
The weather hasn't handed
growers heavy winds that can
damage young plants, nor huge
rainstorms and rains every other
day that can cause flooding,
Atkinson said.
"A lot of plants are germinat-
ing and pushing through the
straw. Now we are keeping our
fingers crossed as we watch for
frost. We don't want that
again."
Still, growers are ready to fight
should a frost come, he added.
They have frost cloth at hand,
which they will lay over ginseng
plant to offer protection. Many
also have wind fans to keep the
air moving.
The association is also enjoy-
ing a resurgence in the crop's
fortunes. Its membership has
climbed to 150 as more growers
are getting into the market.
That's how it should be, Atkin-
son said.
The root contributes more
than $600 million a year to the
economy, growers were told at
the association's recent annual
general meeting.
"From a gross revenue stand-
point, ginseng is the number
one outdoor horticultural crop
in Ontario. It's that valuable and
we grow the best root."
MMarion@postmedia.com
Twitter com/EXPMarion
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