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Market Access

Canadian Cereals in the Global Marketplace

Canada’s cereals sector leads the country’s agriculture exports with annual exports to over 70 countries with an estimated value of $8.5 billion CAD. The global scale and scope of our exports demonstrate the flexibility and value that Canadian cereals offer to our customers and provide valuable market diversification. 

As a national industry association, Cereals Canada plays a critical role in providing a unified voice on behalf of members to help raise the profile of key issues and influence government priority setting. In this highly complex, dynamic global marketplace, Cereals Canada leads, monitors and responds to developments in the global trade environment.

Annual Report Map
Japan China Bangladesh Indonesia UAR UK Italy Morocco Algeria Nigeria Chilie Peru Ecuador Columbia Mexico USA

Japan

Japan Flag

JAPAN - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 1.62 million tonnes, valued at $631 million
Market Profile: A long-standing, quality conscious wheat customer, Japan imported 1.62 million tonnes of Canadian non-durum wheat on average over the last five years.  

JAPAN - Barley
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 241 thousand tonnes, valued at $72 million
Market Profile: A regular buyer of barley, Japan imported 241,000 tonnes on average from Canada over the last five years. 

JAPAN - Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 195 thousand tonnes, valued at $86 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, Canada was the leading supplier of durum wheat to Japan, holding an average market share of 95 percent. 

China

China Flag

CHINA - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 2.06 million tonnes, valued at $792 million
Market Profile: China was Canada’s largest buyer of non-durum wheat over the last five years, with average imports over two million tonnes. 

CHINA - Barley
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 2.06 million tonnes, valued at $703 million 
Market Profile: China was Canada’s largest buyer of barley over the last five years, with average annual imports over 2 million tonnes. 

Bangladesh

Bangladesh Flag

BANGLADESH - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 1.03 million tonnes, valued at $373 million
Market Profile: Bangladesh is one of the world's largest buyers of non-durum wheat, importing over one million tonnes on average from Canada over the last five years. 

Indonesia

INDONESIA - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 1.97 million tonnes, valued at $693 million
Market Profile: Indonesia, one of the world’s largest markets for non-durum wheat, imported 9.5 million tonnes of non-durum wheat (from all suppliers) in 2022. Currently, Canada supplies 1.53 million tonnes to Indonesia, valued at $791 million.

UAR

UAE Flag

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 208,122 tonnes, valued at $ 70,896,523 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, the United Arab Emirates was the largest buyer
of Canadian non-durum wheat within the Gulf region, importing 208,000 tonnes on average.

UK

UK Flag

UNITED KINGDOM - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 431,359 tonnes, valued at $ 174,484,630 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, the United Kingdom was the largest buyer of Canadian non-durum wheat within Europe, importing 431,000 tonnes on average.

Italy

Italy Flag

ITALY - Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 865 thousand tonnes, valued at $341 million
Market Profile: Italy was Canada's largest buyer of durum wheat over the last five years, with average annual imports of 865,000 tonnes. 

Morocco

Morocco Flag

MOROCCO - Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 846 thousand tonnes, valued at $353 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, Canada was the dominant supplier of durum wheat to Morocco, holding an average market share of 93 percent. 

Algeria

Algeria Flag

ALGERIA - Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 781 thousand tonnes, valued at $317 million
Market Profile: One of the world's largest buyers of durum wheat, Algeria sources on average 67 percent of its imported durum wheat from Canada. 

Nigeria

Nigeria Flag

NIGERIA - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 665 thousand tonnes, valued at $240 million
Market Profile: Nigeria is the largest buyer of non-durum wheat in sub-Saharan Africa, importing 665,000 tonnes on average from Canada over the last five years. 

Chilie

Chile Flag

CHILE - Oats
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 41 thousand tonnes, valued at $13 million
Market Profile: Canada is the leading supplier of oats to Chile, holding an average market share of nearly 99 percent. 

Peru

Peru Flag

PERU - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 1.2 million tonnes, valued at $418 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, Canada was the leading supplier of non-durum wheat to Peru, holding an average market share of 67 percent. 

Ecuador

Ecuador Flag

ECUADOR - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 686 thousand tonnes, valued at $245 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, Canada was the leading supplier of non-durum wheat to Ecuador, holding an average market share of 56 percent. 

Columbia

Columbia Flag

COLOMBIA - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 1.27 million tonnes, valued at $457 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, Canada was the leading supplier of non-durum wheat to Colombia, holding an average market share of 67 percent. 

Mexico

Mexico Flag

MEXICO - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 705 thousand tonnes, valued at $247 million
Market Profile: Over the last five years, Mexico imported over 705,000 tonnes of Canadian non-durum wheat on average. 

MEXICO - Oats
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 106 thousand tonnes, valued at $30 million
Market Profile: Mexico was the largest buyer of oats in Latin America over the last five years, importing 106,000 tonnes on average from Canada. 

USA

USA Flag

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - Non-Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 1.37 million tonnes, valued at $487 million
Market Profile: Canadian wheat accounted for approximately 98% of non-durum wheat imports by the United States over the last five years, with average volumes of 1.37 million tonnes. 

 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - Durum Wheat
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 605 thousand tonnes, valued at $235 million
Market Profile:Over the last five years, the United States sourced nearly 100% of its imported durum wheat from Canada, with average volumes of 605,000 tonnes.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - Oats
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 1.4 million tonnes, valued at $475 million
Market Profile: The United States was Canada’s largest buyer of oats over the last five years, with average annual imports of 1.41 million tonnes. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - Barley
Average CDN Exports (2018–2022): 192,000 tonnes, valued at $83 million 
Market Profile: Over the last five years, Canada was the leading supplier of barley to the United States, holding an average market share of 87 percent. 

Leading Market Access,
Trade Advocacy, and Policy

As the number one promoter of Canadian cereals, Cereals Canada focuses on protecting and expanding Canadian market access.
Cereals Canada’s proactive trade advocacy activities work alongside our market development and market support services to provide
value for our customers 

We recognize that in an unpredictable trade environment, Canada’s cereals sector must have the tools and relationships in place
to react quickly to changes in market conditions. The market access strategy supports policies and approaches to minimize trade
disruptions and maximize trade opportunities.  


Trade Policy 

Fostering a transparent and predictable rules-based trading system and responding to technical trade issues or opportunities.

Science-Based Policy

Encouraging science-based regulatory and business decisions that enable innovation while minimizing potential market risks.

Trade Advocacy

Strengthening export-led growth by leading advocacy for strategic trade priorities with domestic and global partners.

Foresight & Analysis

Monitoring the changing trade and market environment to guide responses in the areas
of market access, market development and market support.

Key Programs and Initiatives

Managing Technical
Trade Barriers/Issues

The unexpected and sudden implementation of tariff and non-tariff barriers can cause immediate and costly disruptions to Canada’s market access. Cereals Canada takes a leadership role in working with the Canadian government and international industry stakeholders to represent the interests of the Canadian industry on these issues.

  • Enforcement of trade agreements
  • Sanitary and Phytosanitary issues
  • Technical barriers to trade

Promoting
Export-led Growth

Cereals Canada is a leading advocate for Canada’s free trade objective and has actively promoted the sector’s interests in multilateral and bilateral trade agreements. In recent years, our advocacy has supported the advancement of agreements such as the Canada United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA). Cereals Canada supports Canada’s ongoing and forthcoming negotiations with the UK, India, Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Monitoring Market Risks

Cereals Canada works closely with our growers, regulators and those within the supply chain to ensure that Canada’s grain exports meet our commitment to consistently deliver safe, high-quality product to meet international and domestic standards.

To ensure that we meet our commitments to our members, we consistently communicate issues concerning maximum residue limits (MRL) changes, sustainability requirements and sanitary and phytosanitary issues/concerns.

Cereals Canada Maximum Residue Limits Assessment Committee

Cereals Canada monitors global regulatory changes related to MRL for crop protection products or contaminants and advises cereals grain value chain members to ensure awareness and proactive responses that strengthen Canada’s quality reputation and brand.

Cereals Canada conducts annual assessments on crop protection products and crop use patterns with a new or amended registration to evaluate the risk of a trade disruption through the MRL Assessment Committee (MAC). The cereals MAC is comprised of members of the cereals value chain.

The cereals MAC was created as part of the implementation of the Canada Grains Council Market Acceptance of Pesticide Use Policy. The policy strives to provide an appropriate balance between enabling the commercialization of innovative and new chemistry/crop use pattern products while ensuring that Canadian crops are market-ready.

Indo-Pacific Diversification Office

The Indo-Pacific region represents a significant opportunity for Canada to diversify its agricultural exports while positively impacting global food security. To achieve this outcome, Canada’s major value chain associations have developed a robust business case for the establishment of a Canadian trade diversification office in the Indo-Pacific region.

Roughly half of Canada’s non-durum wheat is exported to Asia.

The Government of Canada is developing an Indo-Pacific Strategy that aims to strengthen Canada’s geopolitical position and competitiveness across the dynamic and fast-growing Indo-Pacific region. There is a central role for agriculture to play within this strategy which is underscored by the opportunity to strengthen export diversification while growing our contributions
to food security in the region.

This new trade diversification office will:

  • Create an in-region centre of excellence that positions Canada as a trusted knowledge
    partner to key markets in the Indo-Pacific.
  • Allow a dedicated and resourced market access team to maintain regular contact with agriculture policy makers and regulators in the Indo-Pacific.
  • Provide rapid response and proactive action towards addressing market access barriers.
  • Ensure Canada is at the leading edge of emerging trends in the region while facilitating communication with foreign officials.
  • Create the condition for more frequent interactions with regulators in importing countries and leverage experts to support building technical capacity regionally and championing science-based regulatory approaches.
  • Deliver a common, timely voice for Canada and a coordinated response to market access and trade issues by coordinating between various levels of government and industry which currently have offices and staff in the region.

Keep it Clean

Keep it Clean is a joint initiative of Cereals Canada, the Canola Council of Canada, and Pulse Canada which informs and empowers Canadian growers to grow market-ready crops and helps maintain domestic and export markets.

Throughout the year, growers are provided with timely updates on potential market risks or restrictions, including MRLs, and information about on-farm practices that will ensure their canola, cereals, and pulse crops meet the standards of our export customers.

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