The effects of a May 26 hail storm were felt primarily in the Cawston and Oliver areas, the Ministry of Agriculture reported last week.
Apples, pears, apricots, prunes and plums were the fruits most affected by the storm. The agency noted that the Oliver production insurance office had received 118 Notices of Loss for damage from the storm.
The extent of the damage is still being determined, in both the Similkameen and Okanagan valleys, with some growers reporting significant losses.
The ministry has developed and distributed a guide to tree fruit growers that specifically outlines hail insurance coverage and the different options for them to consider when selecting the best coverage for their risk management plans. http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/production_insurance/plans/treefruit/tf_hail_guide.pdf
More information about hail insurance is posted at http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/ministries/agriculture/factsheets/factsheet-hail-damage.html
Several Cawston orchardists were affected by the May hailstorm, with varying amounts of crop damage reported from Cawston south to the U.S. border.