(Resource News International) — Chinese quarantine measures, going into effect Sunday (Nov. 15), will restrict roughly 70 per cent of Canada’s canola exports to the country, the Canola Council of Canada said in an update late Tuesday.
The measures announced by China’s Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) were put in place to address China’s concerns with the possible importation of blackleg, a common fungal disease in canola/rapeseed production. The disease poses no risk to humans, but can kill canola plants.
Starting Sunday, all canola shipments that test positive for blackleg will only be allowed into a limited number of provinces in China, AQSIQ said. However, the Canola Council said, the majority of ports used by Canadian exporters are not included on that list.
Read Also
Entomologist tests trap crops and marigolds to repel flea beetles at an Ag in Motion
An Agriculture Canada entomologist is experimenting with trap crops and marigolds at an Ag in Motion demonstration cropplot
Shipments that test negative can be imported anywhere in China, although the disease is common in Canada and the Canola Council said it was unlikely that any shipments would be certified as blackleg-free.
Tests conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will not be satisfactory for the Chinese officials, the council said, which means any shipments that do test negative for blackleg in Canada will be tested again in China.
China is a major market for Canadian canola, taking 2.87 million tonnes in 2008-09. The government of Canada is already working at coming up with a solution that will allow trade to continue without disruption, and the council urged the government to take the issue up with the highest levels of Chinese government officials.
“Expensive disruptions”
Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has already met with China’s ambassador to Canada and said the government will continue to work at resolving the issue.
“We are disappointed with the latest statement from China that outlines unnecessary restrictions on Canadian canola exports,” said Ritz in response to the Chinese restrictions.
“China’s processing industry depends on premium-quality Canadian canola and these unnecessary restrictions will cause expensive disruptions to our partnership in this sector,” he added.
A Canadian canola broker expected China would eventually be back, buying Canadian canola at the same levels as before.
“China’s agenda is fairly clear to them. It may not be clear to us, but they will slow down canola imports for a little while,” said the broker, adding that “I don’t think we’ll be able to stop that, no matter how many people we send over there.”
The broker expected the Chinese restrictions on canola imports were more a matter of the country needing to balance its own supply/demand situation.
“China will just let it drag on for two or three months, and then they’ll finally resolve it because that’s when they’ll want to buy some more canola,” said the broker.
