Trade Issues with China Dominates Headlines In 2019

Jan 01, 2020

Trade issues with China dominated the canola sector this year.

In March, China banned canola seed shipments from two of Canada’s biggest exporters, Richardson International and Viterra, over what it said was pests of concern found in their shipments.

Jim Everson, president of the Canola Council of Canada says earlier this month Canadian officials were on the ground in China to discuss technical issues in face-to-face meetings.

"We are working very closely with the Government of Canada. We have some excellent people in terms of our diplomatic core. We have a new ambassador in China who is very much aware of our issues from a canola perspective and its something that's top priority for our industry and for the Canola Council to reinstate our exporters in the Chinese market and return that market to a predictable one."

At this point China is only taking about a quarter of what they would normally take from us each month in canola seed exports.

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