March 26, 2012

Canada's grain growers happy with China trade deals

In the current trade mission to China, Canada's grain growers are pleased with the quality of meetings and opportunities in promoting Canadian agricultural exports.

"Not only does the Chinese market have a growing population, but more importantly they have a growing middle class that is looking for the quality that we as Canadian producers can supply," said Stephen Vandervalk, President of the Grain Growers of Canada and a farmer from Fort McLeod, Alberta. "Along with the rapeseed and pulse people, we have had an excellent series of meetings with Chinese importers."

Grain Growers of Canada, Canola Council of Canada, Pulse Canada as well as beef and pork representatives have been in China this week on a trade mission with the Agriculture and Agrifood Canada Minister Gerry Ritz.

"While it is good to have industry here on this trip, the Chinese business people and officials have been very pleased to hear directly from actual producers," said Vandervalk. "We are the ones who actually make the planting decisions and will grow the crops to the standards they are looking for, and we have had excellent dialogues about our respective challenges."

On Monday, the Grain Growers and part of the Canadian agricultural delegation met with Chairman Ye of the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port, where they toured the Maple Grain rapeseed crushing plant which crushes up to 600,000 tonnes of rapeseed annually.

On Tuesday in Chengdu, the delegation spent most of the day with the Chinese company Tongwei. Discussions were held with the Chairman on current business relations in addition to future possibilities between them and Canada.

They purchase rapeseed meal for aquaculture and are potentially looking to buy up to one million tonnes of rapeseed meal within five years.

The agriculture delegation is now connecting up with the Prime Minister's delegation in Beijing for the next three days to do further trade and market development work.

"We really appreciate the proactive approach of the Government, and in particular Ritz in focussing so much time and energy in opening and maintaining markets for Canadian farmers," said Vandervalk. "Exports mean jobs on the ground in Canada."

Representing tens of thousands of successful wheat, barley, rapeseed, oat, corn, pea and lentil farmers across Canada, the Grain Growers of Canada is well known as the national voice of Canadian grain farmers.