The Rural Voice, 1998-07, Page 36BLACK CREEK
WILD BOAR
FULL BLOOD
EUROPEAN
WILD BOAR
Breeding Stock
Available
PHONE:
Days - 519-632-7116
Evenings - 519-463-5672
Fax - 519-463-5058
R.R. #3, Bright, Ontario
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HAWKEN & SON
Custom Manufacturing
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32 THE RURAL VOICE
Alternative Agriculture
Market Update
GARLIC: Acreage of garlic in
Ontario continues to grow, climbing
to an estimated 1,500 acres this year
compared to 700-800 acres in 1997,
said Warren Ham, membership
director of the Garlic Grower's
Association of Ontario. That's a long
way from fulfilling Canada's garlic
needs. For Canada to be self-
sufficient would require 10,000
acres.
Garlic sells anywhere between
$0.90-$2 per pound, with the farmer
getting between $0.90-$1.50 per
pound.
The most popular type of garlic
grown in Ontario is the Music strain
which is a hard -neck variety. Ontario
grows close to 97 per cent of the
garlic grown in Canada.
Garlic growers had a better year
in 1997 than 1996 partly because of
the imposed duties placed on cheaper
Chinese imports between July 1 and
December 31. Despite the duties,
Ham said the imports are not
monitored the way they should be by
Revenue Canada.
Ham and his partners Stan and
Jack Christie from Flat Creek Farms
near Mitchell, have just under 40
acres of garlic planted this year.
HEMP: Canada's first commercial
hemp crop in Canada is doing well,
despite the dry weather. Michael
Columbus, an altemative crop
specialist with the Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
(OMAFRA) estimates that over 100
licensed growers in Ontario are
growing between 3,000 - 3,500 acres
of hemp this year.
Most of the hemp is being grown
in southwestern Ontario. Of those
acres, 1,500 will go towards fibre
production and the remainder will go
towards grain production. Some of
the grain goes into products such as
oils and bird feed.
Hemp fibre sells for $230 - $250
per ton and dried hemp grain sells
refined in hemp processing plants
near London and Chatham.
CHINCHILLA: The prices for
chinchilla pelts are down at least 10
per cent from last year, due in part to
the Asian financial crisis, said Gerald
Golem, a member of the National
Chinchilla Breeders Association.
Chinchilla pelts are popular in Japan
and South Korea.
Golem has a ranch in Chesley. He
raises and breeds 500-700
chinchillas, which he said is an
average size ranch. There are over
100 chinchilla ranchers in Ontario,
but that number is down significantly
from the '80s.
Chinchillas are fully grown at one
year and are pelted when they are
11-12 months old.
Depending on the variety and
quality, ranchers receive up to $110
per pelt. On average, Golem said he
receives $55 per pelt.
Chinchillas are marketed
wherever there is a large fur fashion
industry. The biggest markets are in
Canada, the U.S., Asia and parts of
Europe.
ELK: Elk farming in Ontario has
grown in popularity over the past
five years, said Wayne Scott, a
member of the Ontario Elk Breeders
Association.
Ontario is a minor player in the
elk industry compared to Alberta and
Saskatchewan. In Ontario there are
approximately 50 breeders compared
to 400 each in Alberta and
Saskatchewan.
The main source of income for
elk breeders is the antlers. Antler
prices are down 20 per cent from last
year. This year they are selling for
$60 per pound. The market was
largely affected by the Asian
financial crisis, where most antlers
are sold.
Scott said the Canadian elk
market is changing. While it used to
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