Thursday August 14, 2025 | OTTAWA, ON [Posted at 1:38 pm PT | Updated 2:31 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke yesterday with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe about China’s preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola seed.
“If maintained, these unjustified duties will have significant impacts on many Canadian farmers,” says Carney in a post today.
On August 12, China announced a 75.8-per-cent duty on Canadian canola seed, escalating a costly trade war between the countries. That prompted Canada to say it will hold off on making concessions until it knows China will respond in kind.
Supporting farmers:
“Premier Moe and I focused on a series of measures to support hard-working farmers who provide world-class food to Canadians and our trading partners throughout the world,” the prime minister said in a post on X just after 1 pm today.
“The Premier and I agreed to engage directly with industry leaders in the near term to discuss the options and to build on yesterday’s meetings of Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Minister of International Trade with many of our leading canola producers and exporters.
“Canada does not dump canola. Canadian canola products meet the highest standards, and our inspection systems are robust. We will advance a constructive dialogue with Chinese officials to address our respective trade concerns, while diversifying our trade abroad and supporting our canola producers at home,” said Carney.
Politics:
As reported by the Globe and Mail two days ago, China’s unveiled of the preliminary duty toward the end of a one-year anti-dumping probe, which began after Canada imposed high tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles.
Reportedly: “China’s Ministry of Commerce said Canada’s agricultural sector has benefited from extensive government subsidies and preferential policies that distort markets.”
It is generally felt in Canada’s canola industry (based primarily in Saskatchewan) that China’s action is a political response to Canadian tariffs in other sectors (including steel).
What is dumping:
If a company exports a product at a price that is lower than the price it normally charges in its own home market, or sells at a price that does not meet its full cost of production, it is said to be “dumping” the product.
Price effect:
The value per tonne will likely go down for a period of time, and farmers will have a problem selling what they produce (then having to carry to cost of holing the product until next year), according to Rick White, Canadian Canola Growers Association.
“This is a political problem and it needs a political solution,” said White on CBC today. “Farmers should not be left on their own to bear it on the chin.”
“Federal support for farmers and the industry may be needed here,” said White, saying that would include compensatory loss.
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