The acreage in British Columbia has shifted significantly from apples to cherries

The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food has released the updated 2025 Tree Fruit Acreage and Production Report. Two main trends stand out: insured cherry acreage has reached approximately 7,250 acres, compared with around 5,700 acres of apples, while Ambrosia and Gala now account for roughly two-thirds of insured apple acreage.

Key findings

• Insured tree fruit acreage in British Columbia has increased by approximately 1,600 acres over the past decade, reaching 14,250 acres in 2026.
• During the same period, the province’s tree fruit acreage has shifted decisively from apples towards cherries, with cherries becoming the largest tree fruit crop by acreage around 2023.
• While the South Okanagan retains an important role in production, the Central Okanagan has emerged as the province’s main growth region, while the Similkameen Valley has remained relatively stable.
• The industry is concentrating on a smaller number of commercially successful varieties, particularly Staccato and Sentennial cherries and Ambrosia and Gala apples.
• Following production losses in 2024 caused by extreme weather, 2025 shows a strong recovery, especially for cherries.

Industry value and production trends

The tree fruit industry is an established contributor to British Columbia’s agriculture sector, generating farmgate receipts of CAD 163 million in 2025.

The report also breaks down acreage by region and variety, providing useful insights into where production is shifting and how harvest windows and labour requirements are changing across the sector.

Read the full Tree Fruit Acreage and Production Report.

Karen Davidson, The Grower

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