Canadian canola seed, beef shipments going to China soon: agriculture minister
Global News
China is moving quickly to import Canadian canola and beef after Ottawa struck a deal with Beijing to reduce tariffs, Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said Tuesday.
China is moving quickly to import Canadian canola and beef after Ottawa struck a deal with Beijing to reduce tariffs, Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said Tuesday.
MacDonald told reporters in Ottawa a Chinese importer has ordered 60,000 metric tonnes of canola seed, and he’s aware of a company shipping its first load of Canadian beef to China next week.
It’s expected be the first time China has purchased Canadian canola seed and beef since it imposed measures to block the products.
“That’s how quickly this whole process has taken place,” MacDonald said. “When the door opened, it opened.”
MacDonald made the comments while announcing Ottawa is beginning a round of consultations on a new agreement that will provide funding and programming to the agriculture sector in 2028 and beyond.
News of the planned shipments also come as Canada recalibrates its trading relationship with China.
On Monday, China lifted its ban on Canadian beef imports after an atypical case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy — known as BSE or mad cow disease — was found on an Alberta farm in 2021. BSE is a fatal brain disease in cattle and atypical strains pose no health risks to humans.
And last week, Beijing reduced tariffs on Canadian canola seed and at least temporarily removed levies on canola meal, lobsters, crabs and peas. In exchange, Ottawa made concessions on Chinese electric vehicle duties.
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