Saskatchewan Premier Flies to China on Canola Tariff Repeal Mission

Scott Moe, premier of Canada’s Saskatchewan province, the country’s largest grain producer, said on Thursday he would soon travel to China for talks to persuade Beijing to lift new tariffs on Canada’s version of canola, Reuters reported.

Last week, China imposed a 75.8% tariff on Canadian canola seed imports following an anti-dumping investigation, escalating a year-long trade dispute.

China is Canada’s single-largest canola seed market, with the country set to ship nearly C$5 billion (US$3.63 billion) worth of the oilseed to China in 2024, about 80% of which was seed. The high tariffs, if upheld, would likely virtually eliminate imports to China.

Agriculture Minister Heath Macdonald also pledged support for farmers and the industry, which he said employs 200,000 people and creates C$43 billion in economic value, on the eve of the pandemic.

China objected when Canada imposed 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles a year ago, and launched an anti-dumping investigation into canola seed shortly after. Beijing imposed duties on Canadian canola oil and meal, as well as a range of other agricultural products, in February. This month’s inclusion of canola seed in China’s tariff targets came shortly after Canada imposed steel tariffs in July, which also upset Beijing.

“I’ll be in China in the next couple of weeks, and there may be another opportunity before the end of the calendar year for me to engage,” Moe said at a news conference after meeting with industry representatives and Macdonald. Moe also reiterated his call for federal aid to the industry.

Tags: China, Canada, rapeseed