Solving the tree fruit industry’s problems will require brain power and market intelligence, agricultural economist Dr. Desmond O’Rourke believes. “You have to be careful about anyone who comes along and says any one solution will solve your problems,” he told growers at the B.C. Horticultural Forum in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, last fall. O’Rourke described a number of strategies that tree fruit producers are using. The Arnold Schwarzenegger Approach: This is based on the idea of overpowering your problems, and lowering unit costs by creating bigger orchards and consolidating packing and sales operations. People using this approach adopt new weapons […]