Canola farmers trying to make do without China exports

Saskatchewan canola farmers are working hard to replace Chinese business.

China started blocking Canadian exports of the product this spring.

Lane Stockbrugger, the chair of SaskCanola, said it does worry him.

“Of course, we’d love to see our biggest partner in China resume the purchase of canola seed,” he said.

According to the Canola Council of Canada, China is “one of our most important customers.” The country imported $4.4 billion worth of canola products last year.

However, Stockbrugger is still optimistic.

“Our grain buyers, they’re still actively searching out canola from farmers to purchase. That’s good to see,” he said. “There are certainly markets for canola to sell into.”

He said it depends on the choices that each farmer makes.

“What is their purchase price that they’re prepared to sell at? What do they see the upside potential in? Is that canola, or is that other crops?” he said.

“It’s really individual decisions on looking at all the factors that are out there, and deciding what they are are going to do.”

On the plus side, canola hasn’t been affected as badly by the harsh conditions this harvest season.

“For the most part, it has been able to weather the storm quite well … Usually, it is drying down that much faster than some of the cereal crops,” Stockbrugger said.

Canada formally challenged China’s decision to stop exports last month.