EU remains the leading producer of rapeseed oil

The EU remains the world’s largest producer and consumer of rapeseed oil. China follows, unable to fully meet its demand through domestic production and therefore relies on imports. However, imports have become more challenging due to the trade dispute with Canada.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that global rapeseed oil production in the 2025/26 season will be approximately 35.1 million tonnes, approximately 1.4 million tonnes more than in the previous season. The EU is the largest consumer, consuming just under 10.1 million tonnes, followed by China with 9.9 million tonnes and India with 4.1 million tonnes. The United States is the largest importer of rapeseed oil, importing 3.0 million tonnes, partly for biofuel production. While EU member states are almost self-sufficient in rapeseed oil, China imports 2.2 million tonnes.

While the US has settled its trade dispute with Canada, the world’s largest canola oil exporter, as part of its biofuels policy, China’s trade conflict with Canada continues. In March 2025, China imposed 100% import tariffs on Canadian canola oil in retaliation for tariffs Canada imposed on Chinese electric vehicle imports in the summer of 2024. This forced China to import canola oil from other countries, leading to significant changes in trade flows.

Tags: EU, rapeseed oil