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Headlines:
May 10th, 2009
Local company to export
plants from island
Horticulture
EVERTON MCLEAN
The Telegram
Michael Murray, owner of Murray’s Horticultural Services in
Portugal Cove, displays a crate of Starbright Mockorange shrubs at
the company’s greenhouses Thursday afternoon. Murray’s
company, which he founded some 35 years ago, recently exported some
of its first crop of upwards of 20,000 plants. They were developed by
Memorial University’s (MUN) Botanical Garden on Mount Scio Road
in St. John’s and have been shipped to wholesale markets in
mainland Canada and the United States. — Photo by Joe
Gibbons/The Telegram
It took nearly 100 years, but a Newfoundland company has finally been
allowed to export plants off the island.
Murray’s Horticultural Services of Portugal Cove has shipped its
first crop of 20,000 Starbright Mockorange shrubs, developed by
Memorial University’s Botanical Garden, to wholesale markets in
mainland Canada and the United States.
“It’s a dream going back to when I first started my
business 35 years ago,” said Michael Murray, president of the
horticulture company.
“When it first started, I was buying plant materials from around
the world. I always thought, ‘Gee, would it be nice if they
could pay an invoice to me for a change?’”
Ever since the passing of the Canadian Destructive Insect and Plant
Act of 1910, plants and soil from the island have not been allowed to
be brought into Canada due to the presence of potato wart as well as nematode.
“You cannot leave here in a car or any kind of transportation if
you’re carrying any kind of plant with soil,” said Murray.
That restriction applies to all plant and soil not meeting specific
quarantine standards.
However, recently, Murray’s business developed a quarantined
area that meets guidelines allowing them to ship products out.
The facilities include a 1,200 square-foot propagation building and
4,600 square feet of greenhouse space, all under strict quarantine
and sanitation protocols.
Murray said his company is the first in the province to meet the
qualifications for shipping out plants.
The facility required an investment of about $1 million, but Murray
said he expects he’ll be able to recoup the costs. He said
he’s already been able to arrange markets for his product.
Murray’s facilities are able to produce 84,000 plugs per cycle
and is poised to bring more Botanical Garden plants and other
varieties to market soon. The project was supported by the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, the National Research Council’s
Industrial Research Assis-tance Program, the Agricultural Policy
Framework and other government agencies.
emclean@thetelegram.com
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