Since the Agricultural Council of Saskatchewan raised the topic last week, we felt it was perhaps a perfect opportunity to revisit the matter of irrigation in southeast Saskatchewan again as well.
Saskatchewan food retailers are currently importing $26 million worth of vegetables (excluding potatoes) each year. The Saskatchewan Vegetable Growers Association feels that with our expertise in agricultural production to call on, we should be doing a lot better in filling those veggie needs using provincially grown produce.
With crop failure looming on horizons every year in other locales, it only makes sense to bring as much vegetable and fruit production possible, closer to home.
The current vegetable and fruit growers in this province have found a willing and capable customer for their products in the Co-op, who are currently buying 340,000 kilograms of fresh vegetables per year. At least that is what they purchased last year and that is expected to increase this year to 454,000 kilograms. Other willing buyers have been found at hospitals, schools and long-term care facilities across the province.
We all acknowledge that the fresher the produce is, the better it tastes and the more good it can do for our bodies.
With that in mind, the Saskatchewan Irrigation Projects Association points out that this province is using only 1,000 acres for vegetable production. They feel it should be at least 12,000 acres, which would match current irrigation acres in Alberta and Manitoba.
The provincial government has indicated their willingness to get behind a project to increase the irrigation acreage to at least 10,000, but there needs to be some willing participants.
So far the majority of irrigated acres are to be found in central Saskatchewan close to Lake Diefenbaker and the Gardiner Dam, for obvious reasons. The call is for an expansion of those acres along with some further reaches in the Qu'Appelle Valley's produce commercial gardens.
Might we suggest another obvious geographical vegetable production region?
Why not acreages in and around our Rafferty and Alameda reservoirs?
We feel the opportunity should not be passed on without at least a little bit of research and experimentation with the viability of setting up a few irrigation experiences in the Souris Valley.
If the provincial government is really serious about getting on board, then we cite this region as the obvious answer for seeking out new territory.
If provincial vegetable and fruit production could be increased two-fold from current levels, then we feel certain that other large food retailers would jump at the chance to sell fresher goods while saving a lot of money in transportation costs. The opportunity for the food retailers to gain assurances as to food safety would be a bonus. They are less likely to be "gamed" by the middle men, brokers and suppliers, if they see the producers/suppliers face-to-face on a regular basis.
We feel that southeast Saskatchewan could serve as a prime location to expand our provincial irrigation program, after all, when these two dams were built, irrigation of local crops was cited as one of the primary advantages they would bring to the region along with flood control and recreational pursuits.
The stage was set over 20 years ago. It's now time for the players.
