Buoyed by a recent trade trip, Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister says the time for the province to boost value-added processing and exports is now.
David Marit said a plan announced in last week’s speech from the throne is achievable.
“I just returned from Mexico and, seeing how they’re using oats and flax and canola, I think the potential is fantastic for value-added processing growth here in the province,” he said after Lt.-Gov. Russ Mirasty read the speech outlining the government’s agenda for the next year.
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The government intends to announce the full new growth plan this fall but the speech highlighted one target: to increase value-added exports to $10 billion by 2030.
“Increasing crop production and growing the percentage of primary agricultural production that is processed in our province will be part of our plan moving forward,” said the speech. “Growth in the value of exports requires more value-added production.”
Marit said this could mean adding some value but not necessarily full production of a product. He suggested companies from other countries could invest in further processing in Canada, too.
“We also have logistical challenges with transportation and getting it to port and these countries are recognizing that too,” he said. “If they could take it to one more stage of processing, it cuts down not only the transportation cost but also delivery.”
New crop varieties are driving some of the opportunity.
“In the southern part of the province we never thought of canola being grown 10 years ago (but) now it’s part of the rotation,” said the minister, who farmed near Fife Lake. “We’re seeing soybeans coming into the province, corn come in. We’re going to see more fababeans.”
Opportunities lie in pulses and the trend to plant-based protein, but Marit also said livestock production will play a role in the growth plan.
The province’s first growth plan was released in 2012 and included the goals of increasing crop production by 10 million tonnes and increasing agricultural exports to $15 billion from $10 billion, both by 2020.
Crop production has gone from 26.4 million tonnes in 2012 to 35.5 million tonnes in 2018.
Agricultural exports were $13.4 billion in 2018.
Other speech highlights include that SaskPower will continue to explore small modular reactors using uranium to produce emissions-free electricity and that it will create a fund of up to $10 million to help Coronach and Estevan and areas transition from coal-fired electricity by 2030, which is a federal decision.
The government’s plans to introduce about 30 bills in the session, including a new Fisheries Act to offer greater protection against invasive aquatic species, and legislation to regulate vaping and vaping products.
Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president Ray Orb said he liked references in the speech to increasing broadband service and continuing efforts against rural crime.
“We believe it’s starting to make a difference but we believe there is still too much crime in rural Saskatchewan,” Orb said.
