By the turn of the century, Chilliwack fruit was being shipped to eastern markets. Several attempts to develop co-operative canning and marketing operations can be traced to the early 1900s. The Fruit Growers Association and the Chilliwack Canning and Preserving Company were short-lived enterprises that attempted to deal with these important aspects of the industry.
The East Chilliwack Fruit Growers' Co-operative (now Agro Pacific Industries) started in 1948. Mennonite growers dealing with distribution and marketing concerns organized this co-operative.
Over the last half century the fruit industry has declined in importance in Chilliwack, the victim of competitive world markets and diseases that have affected fruit crops.
Rows of preserved fruit in jars, prepared by George I. Thornton of Promontory. 1999 5 2.