Canadian Government and Canola Industry Invest in China

A $1.5 million investment by the Canadian government, combined with funding from the canola industry, will help ensure that Canadian canola seed exports remain strong in China. In 2008/09, China imported 2.87 million tonnes of canola seed worth $1.3 billion. In order to maintain access to the Chinese market, up to $1 million has been earmarked to address concerns over blackleg, a fungal disease in canola seed. Last year, China limited Canadian canola seed imports due to concern about blackleg. As a result, Canada will undertake cooperative studies with China to analyze ways to mitigate the transfer of blackleg to China’s crop. The canola industry will also look at blackleg presence in Canada to determine a risk reduction strategy. The Canadian government and Canola Council of Canada have allocated an additional $500,000 for dairy feed trials in China.