Saskatchewan Premier Flies to China on Canola Tariff Repeal Mission

year-long trade dispute. China is Canada’s single-largest canola seed market, with the country set to ship nearly C$5 billion (US$3.63 billion) worth of the oilseed to China in 2024, about 80% of which was seed. The high tariffs, if upheld, would likely virtually eliminate imports to China. Agriculture Minister Heath Macdonald also pledged support for farmers and the industry, which he said employs 200,000 people and creates C$43 billion in economic value, on the eve of the pandemic. China objected when Canada imposed 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles a year ago, and launched an anti-dumping investigation into canola seed shortly after. Beijing imposed duties on Canadian canola oil and meal, as well as a range of other agricultural products, in February. This month’s inclusion of canola seed in China’s tariff targets came shortly after Canada imposed steel tariffs in July, which also upset Beijing. “I’ll be in China in the next couple of weeks, and there may be another ...