The head of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association says this is the most parched stretch of a growing season he’s ever seen.

Jason Verkaik says ”all we’ve been doing for the last three and a half weeks is watering.”

Even so, Verkaik says some of his carrot crop in Holland Marsh has been ”burning off,” from the heat and dryness.

He’s been irrigating his crops 20 hours a day, six days a week during this time. 

In a year of more typical precipitation, he’d have only spent three or four nights watering in June and July.

Verkaik says the increased watering can run up operating costs for farmers, but that they’re not likely to be passed on to consumer.

It’s more likely that provincial farmers will take a loss in order to stay competitive with producers from the U.S. and Europe.

Agiruclture and Agri-Food Canada says regions northeast of Toronto and south of Ottawa have reached levels of drought expected once every two decades.