Farmers struggling to produce quality crops amid drought
It may have rained for a short stretch Saturday, but farmers will need much more than they got to salvage their fast-dying crops.
The owner of Didar Berry Farm in Delta, Anand Aujlay, says his farm is struggling to produce the type of high-quality blueberries it’s known for this year.
"The berries are getting a little bit softer,” he says. “Also it's getting heavy, it's not that juicy, because there’s no natural water."
The extended stretch of extreme heat and dryness has forced Aujlay to send workers home early, but it has also kept customers away, putting him on pace for a rough year business-wise.
"We probably have about 40 per cent less than a normal year,” he says.
A short burst of rain touched down across Metro Vancouver Saturday, but Environment Canada has yet to determine if it was enough to end the current streak of 45 days with no measureable rain.
Whether it was enough or not, SFU earth sciences professor John Clague says it’ll take a lot more than that to make any type of impact.
"I think we’re going to need somewhere between 50 to 100 millimetres,” said Clague. “The ground is so dry that we need a few days of a good soak.”
A multi-day stretch of rain is expected to hit Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley later this week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Maple Leafs eliminated from NHL playoffs with Game 7 OT loss to Bruins
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at USC comply with school order to leave their encampment
Protesters left a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California early Sunday after they were surrounded by police and told they could face arrest if they didn’t go.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.