Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced plans to travel to China following the country's decision to impose a 75.8% anti-dumping duty on Canadian canola seed. The move comes as a direct response to Canada's recent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, escalating tensions between the two nations.
At a press conference this week, Moe was joined by Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald, who participated virtually, along with Saskatchewan Ministers Warren Kaeding and Daryl Harrison. Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Mark Carney, Kody Blois, also attended the meeting alongside industry stakeholders including farmers and exporters.
The premier emphasized the need for direct nation-to-nation dialogue. He urged Prime Minister Carney to meet with President Xi Jinping at upcoming global summits to help resolve the dispute.
The federal government has rejected China's dumping claims outright. Officials discussed several support measures during the conference, including business risk management programs for affected farmers and efforts to find new export markets for Canadian canola. A Joint Economic and Trade Commission is scheduled to meet next week to address the crisis.
Farmers are feeling the immediate impact of China's decision. The timing couldn't be worse, coming right during harvest season when producers are most vulnerable. One farmer reported losing one dollar per bushel overnight due to the new tariff, creating significant financial strain at a critical time.
Dean Roberts, chair of SaskOilseeds, said farmers are being used as pawns in a larger geopolitical standoff between the two countries. The frustration among agricultural producers is mounting as they watch their livelihoods become collateral damage in international trade disputes.
Political tensions are also rising at home. Sask NDP Leader Carla Beck criticized the provincial government for responding too slowly to the crisis. She argued that Saskatchewan has underused its trade office in China and failed to take proactive steps to prevent such disputes.
Moe defended the province's trade strategy and called for urgent federal action to resolve the situation. The back-and-forth highlights the political pressure mounting as Saskatchewan's agricultural sector faces uncertainty.
The economic stakes are enormous for both Saskatchewan and Canada. The country exported four billion dollars worth of canola seed to China in 2024, with Saskatchewan contributing a significant portion of those sales. The canola industry supports more than 200,000 jobs across Canada and generates $40 billion in economic activity each year.
China remains one of Saskatchewan's most important trading partners, making this dispute particularly damaging for the province's economy. The agricultural sector forms the backbone of Saskatchewan's economic activity, and any disruption to major export markets sends ripple effects throughout rural communities.
The situation leaves Saskatchewan farmers facing difficult decisions about their crops and future planting plans. With harvest season in full swing, producers must now consider alternative markets while dealing with immediate financial losses from reduced canola prices.