November 18, 2009
Canada develops test for fungus to meet Chinese canola rules
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is developing a test for a canola fungal disease to better meet new Chinese regulations on canola imports.
As of Sunday (November 15), all canola imports to China require phytosanitary certificates that the shipment is free of blackleg, a common fungal disease in canola. Shipments that test positive can still be exported to China, but only to select ports away from China's own canola-growing regions. The Canola Council of Canada has estimated that China's new requirements will cut Canadian canola sales to the country by 70 percent.
Canola destined to be crushed, which is how the vast majority of Canada's canola shipments to China are used, poses little risk of transmitting blackleg, as crushing process effectively destroys the disease, said Brian Rex, a grain and oilseed specialist with the CFIA in Winnipeg.
Prior to the Chinese requirements, the CFIA only tested for blackleg on shipments of canola seed destined for propagation. The standard procedure is a blotter test which is approved by the International Seed Trade Association, said Rex.
Since Canada was notified of the new testing requirements, the CFIA lab in Ontario has been working on developing technology that allows for a much quicker turnaround on the testing. The methodology amplifies the DNA specifically for the blackleg pathogen so it can be detected more easily, said Rex.
"It looks like the methodology should be ready to go within days," said Rex.
He noted there are two species that cause blackleg--one is weakly aggressive non-virulent strain, while the other is an aggressive virulent strain. The non-virulent species is already present in China, but the country claims it doesn't have the virulent species, said Rex.
In Canada both strains are present, and in the past the test has simply looked for whether or not blackleg was present. The new methodology will be able to specifically tell if the aggressive strain is present, said Rex.
While Canada is confident the test will be effective, China will retest any shipments that are certified as free of blackleg when they arrive in the country, Rex said.
The uncertainty of the situation will likely keep a cautious tone in the market, as Canadian exporters remain reluctant to take on too much risk on business with China.
