In 2006, there were 1,285 farm operators in the Central Okanagan representing $1.2 billion in total farm capital on 1,580 square kilometres of land. Gross receipts for farm operations in 2006 were $72.2 million. The bench lands within and surrounding the City of Kelowna and extending to the Districts of Peachland and Lake Country yielding a large portion of the apples grown in the province, as well as increasing quantities of grapes, and a significant amount of cherries, prunes, plums, peaches, apricots and vegetables.

Beef cattle range over much of the surrounding hillside and range land. Dairy farming is also important in the area; however, most dairy production has been converted to more intensive agriculture or to non-farm uses. There are a small number of newer poultry farms as well as some farms growing nursery products and producing greenhouse crops. The head office of BC Tree Fruits Ltd., which handles the marketing of most fresh tree fruits in the BC Interior, is located in Kelowna, as well as the headquarters of Sun-Rype Products Ltd.

Sun-Rype Products Limited is a major Canadian fruit processor located in Kelowna. In 1946, the BC Fruit Growers Association, who had already been in the apple business for over 50 years, created BC Fruit Processing Ltd. to produce and sell a pure 100% apple juice. This company later became Sun-Rype and is now the largest juice manufacturer's marketer in Canada. Sun-Rype now employs over 365 people in the Kelowna area. By maintaining its head office in the Central Okanagan, the company draws attention to one of the area's best known industries.

Farm revenues from apple and other tree fruit crops are slowly shrinking as older orchards are being converted to more profitable uses including grape growing, hobby farms, and non farming uses. However, revenues from tree fruit crops remains moderately high and is likely to remain so over the next several years.

Grape production in BC occurs in the Okanagan Valley, the Similkameen Valley, the Fraser Valley, and on the coastal islands. The majority of grape acreage is planted in the Okanagan/Similkameen region. The Okanagan/Similkameen Valleys are located in the rain shadow of the Coast and Cascade Mountain Ranges; the region is an ideal site for grape production. Long, hot summers are followed by cool nights and warm days in the fall which provide perfect conditions for ripening wine grapes. Winter temperatures are usually mild with little snow cover. However, some winters can be cold and winter injury of the vines is probable from time to time.

For detailed information please download the agriculture section from the Regional Economic Profile.