Canadian Canola Farmers Victims of Political Tensions with China
On March 6 China embargoed canola shipments from Canadian family-owned Richardson International Ltd. citing the presence of “harmful organisms”. Following this action, Canada’s Food Inspection Agency conducted an investigation and found no such evidence.
The move by China, which imports Canadian canola seed, oil, and meal worth billions of dollars each year, is being called a “targeted message” and a “crippling blow” to the largest exporter of an industry that is often caught in the crossfire of international tensions.
China is currently at odds with Canada over the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, and with the U.S. over an ongoing trade war. These factors have unfortunately placed canola, which is a distinctly Canadian commodity, as a target for retribution.
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