Government of Canada and Saskatchewan Meet with Canola Industry Leaders

CANADA, August 22 - Released on August 21, 2025

Saskatchewan stands united with canola producers amid Chinese tariffs

Today, Premier Scott Moe, along with Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding and Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison, met with Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Kody Blois and leaders from Saskatchewan’s canola sector to address the recent tariffs imposed by China on provincial canola exports. 

The group called on the federal government to take quick, meaningful action to resolve the current situation.

“The Government of Saskatchewan condemns China's punitive tariffs on canola, which directly impact Saskatchewan families,” Moe said. “This is an urgent situation for Saskatchewan producers and we must work together to find immediate solutions.”

Earlier this month, the Chinese government imposed a 76 per cent tariff on Canadian canola exports—on top of existing tariffs on canola oil and meal. These measures are widely seen as retaliatory, following Canada’s decision to place tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

“Saskatchewan is one of the largest canola producers in the world, supporting thousands of jobs and driving economic growth across Canada,” Moe added. “As a province that exports nearly 70 per cent of everything we produce, we will continue to champion free and fair global trade.”

"Farmers are being used as a pawn in the current geo-political environment. Unprecedented market closure amidst an already stressful time of year has a compounding adverse effect on farmers," SaskOilseeds Chair Dean Roberts said. "Today's dialogue with government leaders centered on practical solutions that could be activated to support farmers' livelihood in the short-term."

Canola by the numbers:

• Saskatchewan produces 55 per cent of Canada’s canola, and accounts for 21 per cent of global canola oil exports.
• Canada exports nearly $15 billion annually in canola seed, oil and meal.
• In 2024, Canada exported almost $5 billion worth of canola seed, oil and meal to China with over half of those exports attributed to Saskatchewan.
• In 2024, China was Saskatchewan’s second-largest export market, receiving nearly $4 billion in agri-food products.
• In 2025, canola was seeded on over 12 million acres in Saskatchewan—nearly one-third of the province’s total seeded area.

For more information, visit saskatchewan.ca.

Media Relations
Agriculture
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5174
Email: ag.media@gov.sk.ca