Hand pickers who harvest 15 different crops in B.C. will receive a pay raise of 2.6 per cent under legislation that came into effect on Dec. 31.

The increase was announced in February of last year, matching the increase to the general minimum wage provincewide, but was offset from the June 1 start date to ensure farmers would not have to adjust wages in the middle of the harvesting season.

Deep Brar, vice president of the BC Fruit Growers’ Association, says the change still makes things difficult for employers who are already struggling with expenses.

The change affects the minimum piece rate — the price paid for each item picked. In the case of cherries, for example, the price increased to $0.325 per pound.

“They incentivized the person that’s picking to be able to pick faster,” Brar explained. “They can make a lot of money when they’re picking fast and if they’re doing a good job.”

The B.C. farm-worker minimum piece system has been in place since 1981. Brar says on his farm in Summerland, he already pays above the regulated averages, but struggles to fill the labour needs for hand harvesting.

“We personally left 35 acres of cherries on the trees last year, and we had a bumper crop, but markets weren’t there. We couldn’t sell them all, and we didn’t have enough people to actually harvest them.”

While he employs about 80 temporary foreign workers each season, Brar says hiring local harvesters has become harder.

“If we advertise for $25 an hour for a local, we still don’t get anybody who wants to work at that wage rate.”

Looking ahead, Brar says he will continue to plant his crops for the upcoming season, staying resilient as he heads into a new and more costly year.

—With files from Charles Brockman