Sask. minister pushing for resolution to China canola dispute

Saskatchewan’s minister of trade and export development is calling for federal action as China continues its ban on imports of Canadian canola seed.

“This has the potential to cost our farmers and ag producers literally billions of dollars,” Jeremy Harrison said Wednesday.

Harrison said he stressed how serious the issue is during a meeting with federal Minister of International Trade Diversification Jim Carr.

“This is Saskatchewan’s largest export market for canola, not just by a little bit, but by orders of magnitude,” Harrison said.

China has complained about the quality of Canadian canola shipments, but many believe the recent arrest of a Huawei executive in B.C. is the real reason for the import ban.

Harrison said canola needs to be elevated to a political issue if China isn’t willing to engage with Canada on a scientific basis.

“We have to have direct engagement from ministers, so federal ministers and the prime minister directly engaging with his counterpart in China,” he said.

Harrison said he is also pushing for a decision from the federal government on a possible cash advance program for farmers. He said he has heard positive signals on that front, but he told the federal minister a decision is needed immediately.

“Producers are making decisions right now that are dependent on what (the federal government’s) decision is,” Harrison said.

In the long term, Harrison said even though Saskatchewan and Canada can engage with other potential customers, they’d be unlikely to be able to take as much Canadian canola seed as China does.