The Canola Industry Mission to China, billed as the first step to establishing China as a consistent buyer of Canadian canola, will be held September 12 to 18 in Beijing and Shanghai, says Dr. Dave Hickling, VP Canola Utilization for the Canola Council.

China has been a major buyer of Canadian canola. However, China is a price buyer of oilseeds and oil. It switches between various crops as market forces dictate. "Purchases are sporadic. But China has the potential to be a consistent importer of two million tonnes of Canadian canola seed and one million tonnes of canola oil a year," he says.

The objective of the mission is to begin a long-term process that will ultimately lead to more consistent canola sales into the country. He adds that the process includes equalization of the tariffs on soybeans and canola seed, lowering of the canola oil tariff, gaining acceptance of canola derived from biotechnology, and canola oil and meal promotion in China. The mission will include Canadian canola exporters, growers, government reps and Council staff.

"This is the first full canola industry mission to China. The country is undergoing rapid economic growth with increasing vegetable oil consumption. The Chinese oilseed crushing and refining industry is making major structural changes, including construction of large, multi-seed processing plants. There is a fantastic opportunity building in China and with some effort I think we will see China as a regular importer of 2 million tonnes per year of Canadian canola seed and one million tonnes of canola oil," says Hickling.

Following the China mission, the Canadian exporters and Council staff are off to Singapore to conduct two days of meetings with Pakistan canola crushers and processors (who are travelling to Singapore for the meeting).

Pakistan burst on the scene as a customer of Canadian canola last year purchasing almost 400,000 tonnes of canola seed.

"As a new market, we need to work closely with the Pakistan canola processors to ensure that they are obtaining maximum value from Canadian canola. We will detail Canada's canola industry including canola production, crushing and processing systems; transportation; and canola quality and grade specs. The meeting will also be an excellent opportunity to make contacts and determine what doors we need to open or hurdles we need to jump to get more canola into that market," he says.


This press release is part of the Canola Council's Canola Advantage program. The program is supported regionally by: Alberta Canola Producers Commission; Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission; Manitoba Canola Growers Association; Canola Council of Canada; Peace River Agriculture Development Fund; and B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.