Market Access

Canadian Cereals in the Global Marketplace

Canada’s cereals sector leads the country’s agriculture exports with annual exports to over 80 countries with an estimated value of $12.1 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. Forty-nine percent of Canada’s non-durum wheat is exported to Asia.

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.

Known for producing high-quality wheat, barley, and oats, Canada is a major exporter of cereals. Hover over locations on the map below to see average Canadian exports (2020–2024) and highlights from 19 key markets for Canadian cereals.

From Our Fields to the World’s Table

Canada’s cereals sector is a $68.9 billion industry that supports over 370,000 jobs across Canada. Currently Canada is on track to be the third largest wheat exporter and #1 exporter of high quality, high-protein wheat, with over 28.5 million tonnes of wheat expected to reach over 80 international markets in 2025-2026.

Where Canadian Wheat Goes

*Non-durum wheat, 2021-2025 average, in metric tonnes (Statistics Canada)

Canada Supplies the World

12%

of global exports of all wheat

54%

of global exports of durum wheat

*Five-year averages (2021-2025)

Cereals Canada Market Access Strategy

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. Our 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.

Leading Market Access, Trade Advocacy, and Policy for Canadian Cereals

Cereals Canada focuses on protecting and expanding Canadian market access for Canadian cereals, with proactive trade advocacy activities that work alongside our market development and market support services. We work closely with growers, regulators, customers, and our supply chain partners to ensure that Canada’s safe, high-quality grain exports align with international and domestic standards such that our products have access to global markets.

As directed by our members, Cereals Canada represents our sector in matters of international trade policy and market access. Through engagement and joint action with our domestic and international stakeholders, we monitor, identify and work to resolve market access barriers for Canadian crops. This work highlights the effectiveness of the Canadian quality control system in providing valuable, reliable grain with consistent quality to our customers.

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 the enforcement of trade agreements, sanitary and phytosanitary issues, and technical barriers to trade.

Learn how advocacy helped lifts restrictions on Canadian cereals exports to Vietnam.

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.

Timely investigation and communication of MRL changes supports a proactive approach to help safeguard Canada’s reputation for high-quality, safe grain exports. 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 to exporter members and grower groups.

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 and 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. On behalf of its members, Cereals Canada actively advocated for the of an Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) to further strengthen agricultural ties with the Indo-Pacific region.

In 2024, the IPAAO was opened in Manila, Philippines. The office demonstrates Canada’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, positions Canada as a trusted knowledge partner, and will help provide the resources and expertise needed to give Canadian farmers and agri-businesses a competitive advantage and diversify our agricultural exports across the region.

Keep it Clean

Keep it Clean is a joint initiative of Cereals Canada, the Canola Council of Canada, Pulse Canada and the Prairie Oat Growers Association, providing growers and crop advisers with resources for growing market-ready crops. This includes providing timely updates on potential market risks and resources for on-farm practices to ensure crops meet the standards of domestic and export customers.

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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Market Access

Canadian Cereals in the Global Marketplace

Japan

China

Bangladesh

Indonesia

UAE

UK

Italy

Morocco

Algeria

Nigeria

Chilie

Peru

Ecuador

Columbia

Mexico

USA

Malaysia

Singapore

Philippines