Highlights
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Overall trends
Total greenhouse area continued to increase in 2011. This situation was accompanied by an increase in sales of greenhouse products. This growth was only seen in greenhouse vegetable and fruit sales. The sod and nursery sectors experienced a slight decrease in sales.
In 2011, total greenhouse area was 23.0 million square metres, compared with 22.5 million square metres in 2010. Sales of greenhouse products increased 2.3% amounting to approximately $2.5 billion in 2011. Compared to 2010, sales of flowers and plants decreased by 0.1%, while vegetable sales increased by 5.5%.
Greenhouse operations increased their total operating expenses by 0.3% reaching $2.1 billion. Labour costs totalled $616 million and represented 29.2% of total greenhouse operating expenses. For comparison, nursery salary expenses grew by 1.2% to reach $230 million in 2011. Total operating expenses for nurseries amounted to $582 million and $112 million for sod operations.
Greenhouse flowers and plants
Production of flowers and plants accounted for 55.1% of total sales of greenhouse products in 2011. Sales and resales of flowers and plants decreased 0.1% to reach $1.4 billion. Resale of flowers and plants amounted to 16.6% of total flower and plant sale share.
Production of potted flowers and plants was still ranked first with sales of $669 million. Sales of ornamental bedding plants and cut flowers reached $158 and $136 million respectively. Vegetable bedding plant sales rose to $103 million compared to $74.0 million for cuttings in 2011.
In 2011, Canadian greenhouses produced 208 million potted flowers and plants, 285 million cut flowers, 440 million ornamental bedding plants, 932 million vegetable bedding plants and 103 million cuttings.
Expenses for specialized greenhouse flower and plant producers increased 4.0% which amounted to $1.1 billion. Labour costs represented 30.0% of total costs for greenhouses specializing in the production of flowers and plants. Although labour costs increased 0.2% between 2010 and 2011, total number of employees decreased 7.1%, representing 20,585 employees.
Greenhouse vegetables and fruits
From 2010 to 2011, sales of greenhouse fruits and vegetables increased by 5.5% to reach $1.1 billion. In 2011, Ontario production represented 63.3% of sales of greenhouse fruits and vegetables in Canada. Sales of tomatoes increased 4.0%, reaching $496 million. Sales of tomatoes increased 6.0% in Ontario to reach $292 million compared to $116 million in British Columbia. Sales of peppers, cucumbers and lettuce reached $300 million, $279 million and $27.6 million respectively in Canada.
Total operating costs for specialized fruit and vegetable producers reached $855 million in 2011. Labour costs were $234 million, which represented almost one-quarter of the total operating expenses. For specialized fruit and vegetable greenhouses, the average cost per employee was $21,618 compared to $15,543 for specialized flower and plant greenhouses. Specialized fruit and vegetable greenhouses are in operation during a longer period of time and are hiring a larger proportion of permanent employees.
Nurseries and sod farms
Nursery sales decreased 2.0% to reach $632 million in 2011. The majority of nursery sales occurred in Ontario (44.4%), British Columbia (30.4%) and Quebec (12.9%). In 2011, the resale of nursery products, which is the sale of products not grown on site, represented 18.5% of total sales compared to 20.6% in 2010.
The survey also provides information on nursery plants produced in the field and in containers. The different categories of cultivated plants (in decreasing order of importance in terms of volume) were tree seedlings, fruit-bearing plants and bushes, perennials and annuals, deciduous shrubs (including rose bushes) and ornamental or shade trees. Tree seedlings produced in both greenhouses and nurseries was down by 3.4% to reach 428 million seedling trees.
In 2011, total costs for producers of nursery products increased by 0.7% reaching $582 million. Labour costs were estimated at $230 million and represented 39.4% of total operating costs. Nurseries employed 13,945 workers. Of this total, 69.5% were seasonal workers. The average salary increased 4.5% to reach $16,462 per employee.
In Canada, 215 farms were involved in sod cultivation. Total sod area increased by 1.0% to reach 22,903 hectares. A total of 8,846 hectares of sod were sold in 2011. Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec were among the main sod-producing provinces. In 2011, total sales of sod, including resale activities, decreased to $137 million.
Costs for sod producers decreased by 5.5%, reaching $112 million. Labour costs are down by 10.1% to represent 36.0% of total operating expenses. Sod industry's average salary was $22,417. This sector employed 1,795 workers.
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