Glacier FarmMedia – While Canada’s canola exports fell back so far this marketing year compared to last year, those for wheat were up, according to the Canadian Grain Commission. Released on Feb. 7, the monthly export report took Canada’s exports for cereals, oilseeds and pulses to the end of December.
For the 2023/24, the CGC tallied year-to-date canola exports from licensed facilities at just under 2.51 million tonnes versus the 3.56 million this time last year. As well, December exports fell back to 375,300 from the 799,100 tonnes a year ago.
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China remained Canada’s top canola customer, taking in 271,300 tonnes in December, but that’s down from the 383,600 tonnes they imported the previous December. China’s year-to-date imports amounted to 1.64 million tonnes compared to the 1.76 million in December 2022.
Canada’s number two customer, Japan, also reduced its canola imports when comparing December to December at 44,600 tonnes versus 140,400. Japan’s year-to-date reached 429,900 tonnes when a year ago they brought in 530,800.
Even Canada’s number three customer, Mexico, slashed their canola imports in December. A year ago they purchased 179,200 tonnes but this past December they didn’t import any canola. That dropped their year-to-date to 228,100 tonnes versus 632,000 in December 2022.
In the meantime, the United Arab Emirates and the United States imported more canola than Mexico in December, at 39,600 and 19,800 tonnes respectively. While those for the UAE were down from 59,700 tonnes a year ago, U.S. imports surged from 7,200.
Although Canada’s total wheat exports were up from 2022/23, the country by country story was mixed, according to CGC data. As with canola, China continued to be Canada’s top wheat buyer at 262,700 tonnes, but that’s down from the year ago of 371,400. China’s year-to-date imports were also behind at 1.26 million tonnes versus the 1.74 million this time last year.
While Indonesia was Canada’s second top importer, their purchases slipped to 238,400 tonnes this past December from the year ago of 285,600. However, the year-to-date of 994,400 tonnes exceeded last year’s pace 774,100.
There was marked improvement in Canadian wheat going to the European Union, with the latter’s December imports at 93,700 tonnes versus the mere 11,000 a year ago. The year-to-date was also much improved at 559,800 at the end of this December compared to the 268,900 the previous December.
Canada’s total amber durum exports were lower so far this year as well, at 1.24 million tonnes at the end of December compared to 1.92 million a year ago. For December alone, durum exports came to 247,100 tonnes, down from 356,000 in December 2022. Customers such as the EU, Morocco, Tunisia, and the UAE sharply cut their acquisitions from Canada.
— Glen Hallick reports for MarketsFarm from Winnipeg.
