The Decibel The crop caught in the crosshairs of the Canada-China trade war
Oct 17, 2025
Kate Helmore, a reporter from The Globe and Mail specializing in agriculture and food policy, discusses the tumultuous canola industry amid Canada-China trade tensions. She explains canola's significance to Canada and its global market dominance. The conversation highlights China's heavy tariffs on Canadian canola, linked to political maneuvering from both countries. Helmore also sheds light on the impact of these tariffs on Canadian farmers, price volatility, and the precarious balance the government faces between supporting agriculture and the emerging EV sector.
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Canola Is More Than Cooking Oil
- Canola yields oil, seed, and meal with wide uses from cooking to livestock feed and biofuel.
- Canada processes large volumes domestically, making canola a major integrated industry.
Canada Dominates Global Canola Trade
- Canada controls over 30% of global canola production and 60% of global trade.
- The industry supports ~206,000 jobs and extensive domestic processing capacity.
China Is A Key Canola Buyer
- China is the top buyer of canola seed and a major market for oil and meal driven by its large livestock and consumer market.
- Canada exported $4.9 billion of canola to China in 2024, mostly seed.