Jeet Dukhia, a former president of the British Columbia Fruit Growers Association (BCFGA) and former chair of the Board of BC Tree Fruits, has passed at the age of 74. He died from complications of terminal lung cancer.

Dukhia began farming in the Vernon area in 1977, growing cherries as well as Gala, Ambrosia, Fuji, and Honeycrisp apples on the family farm.

Dukhia was elected BCFGA president in 2013 and was elected vice-president in February 2022. In an interview given to Castanet earlier this year, he worried about the future of family farms, citing concerns about transitioning to the next generation and the pressures on national food security.

The empty chair on the BCFGA board will be addressed in elections at the February 28, 2023 annual convention in Penticton.

Source:  Castanet December 15, 2022 posting