Australia says deal to export canola to China nearing completion

A framework for resuming Australian canola exports to China is nearing completion, the first official sign that Canberra is close to reaching an agreement on the matter, Bloomberg reports. It would pave the way for five trial shipments, the Australian Department of Agriculture said.

In late 2020, China suspended imports of Australian rapeseed, also known as canola, saying some shipments had been found to contain fungal diseases. The move coincided with a series of punitive trade measures taken by Beijing in response to Canberra’s calls for an international investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

China had previously ordered at least three shipments of Australian canola after slapping high tariffs on Canada, previously the largest supplier of the oilseed, which is typically processed into animal feed in China.

The Agriculture Ministry’s report also said Canada’s trade restrictions “could create new opportunities” for Australian canola producers, depending on the success of trial shipments.

Tags: Australia, China, rapeseed