Pakistan increases Canadian canola purchases after three-year break

Pakistan has resumed purchases of significant volumes of Canadian canola after imports were effectively absent in 2023–2024. In the first six months of 2026, the country imported 506.7 thsd tons of Canadian canola.

Shipments had been disrupted as Pakistan revised its import requirements for genetically modified crops. According to Canola Council of Canada President Chris Davison, Canadian suppliers were effectively shut out of the Pakistani market between 2023 and 2025.

Updating the regulatory framework and securing the necessary approvals from the Pakistani government took until the end of 2025. Once the process was completed, trade resumed, leading to a sharp increase in Canadian shipments in the first half of 2026.

For comparison, Pakistan imported 165.1 thsd tons of Canadian canola in all of 2025, while no shipments were recorded in 2023 or 2024. Imports in January-June 2026 have therefore already more than tripled the volume purchased during the whole of last year.

In 2026, Pakistan became the fifth-largest buyer of Canadian canola, behind China, the European Union, Japan and Mexico. The return of a major importer expands export opportunities for Canadian producers after several years of restricted market access.

Tags: Pakistan, Canada, rapeseed