The Manitoba Canola Growers Association says a new Canada–China agreement-in-principle is a positive development for canola growers but key details still need to be clarified.
“Some positive news coming out of Beijing, which is great,” said Delaney Ross Burtnak, executive director of Manitoba Canola Growers Association. “This is a preliminary announcement at this point, so there’s still some work to do to understand what it means and what the final decision will be.”
The proposed agreement would ease tariffs on Canadian canola as part of a broader trade package between Canada and China, raising hopes for improved market access after months of disruption.
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Ross Burtnak welcomed the significant reduction of canola seed tariffs and the expected elimination of the tariff on canola meal.
“That’s good news,” she said. “We’re not sure what’s happening with canola oil, so we need to understand that a little further.”
Ross Burtnak said tariffs have affected farmers most clearly through price and uncertainty. She noted there appeared to be an uptick in canola prices following news of the proposed tariff reductions, but said the bigger concern over the past 17 months has been whether farmers would be able to sell their canola at all.
“If the elevator or exporter doesn’t have a market to sell that canola into, they’re not going to be buying it from farmers,” she said. “This decision helps prevent that worst-case scenario.”
Ross Burtnak said the announcement offers some reassurance after a prolonged period of uncertainty for canola growers.
“There’s definitely some cautious optimism with this news this morning,” she said.
