Quebec orchard tests anti

Quebec orchard tests anti-hail cannon to protect crops

Verger des Bois-Francs in the Montérégie acquired machine for $160K

An apple grower in Quebec's Montérégie region is relying on a rare technology to protect his crops against severe weather.

The Verger des Bois-Francs in Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford has acquired an anti-hail cannon for the cost of $160,000.

"Hail can cause so much damage," said Maxime Brie, co-owner of Verger des Bois-Francs.

"When we suffer a total or partial loss — apples that have been pitted or split by hail, or even damage to our trees — these are long-term consequences."

On May 31, a major hailstorm struck the region, one that's becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change. At Verger des Bois-Francs, damage was limited, but other apple growers suffered considerable losses.

An explosion every 7 seconds to turn hail into rain

The cannon uses acetylene, a colourless gas, to produce an explosion every seven seconds. This sends shock waves into the air to turn hail into water, according to its manufacturer.

The effectiveness of this type of system is disputed, but the owners of Verger des Bois-Francs wanted to give it a try nonetheless.

Their equipment is constantly connected to a weather service that monitors the approach of thunderstorm cells.

"They're the ones who will tell us, 'We're going to fire the cannon,' when they see a storm approaching — a storm cell that could contain hail," said Brie.

"Once the storm cell has passed, they’re also the ones who’ll deactivate it remotely."

The cannon was activated as a precaution this week, as a thunderstorm posing a risk of hail approached the area.

The repeated explosions have not gone unnoticed. Some neighbours have already complained about the noise the device is making.

The orchard has since equipped its cannon with a silencer which reduces the noise by half, according to Brie.

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"We hope people will be understanding. It will only be activated when there is a risk of thunderstorms," he said.

Brie believes the investment could quickly pay for itself if the cannon helps prevent damage from even one major hailstorm.

The family also owns orchards in Princeville and Plessisville, in the Centre-du-Québec region. They plan to wait until they have assessed the effectiveness of the first cannon before considering installing the same equipment there.

Based on reporting by Radio-Canada's Maelys Buteau-Leduc and Marie-Hélène Rousseau