China has extended its import restrictions on Canadian canola for another year, significantly holding down potential imports but allowing a critical market to stay partially open.
“This is very good news and it shows that China values its canola trade relationship with Canada,” said Canola Council of Canada president JoAnne Buth.
China slapped restrictions on canola imports in November 2009, banning canola with traces of blackleg from most Chinese ports.
However, crushers in ports in provinces without domestic canola or rapeseed production were allowed to apply for import licences.
This allowed slightly more than 100,000 tonnes per month to be delivered to Chinese buyers, or 1.4 to 1.5 million tonnes per year. China had threatened to ban all blackleg-tainted canola in 2010-11, but most expected this extension.
