Saskatchewan’s exports are hot

Regina, Sask. – Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports are doing well – so well in fact that the figures surpassed Ontario for the first time ever.

According to 2011 figures, Saskatchewan exceeded $10 billion in agri-food exports, which makes it the top agri-food exporting province in Canada.

The province’s top exported agri-food products included canola, canola oil and non-durum wheat.

Canola in demand

Canola continues to have a major impact on the province’s economy with canola seed overtaking non-durum wheat as the top agriculture export commodity, says the provincial ministry of agriculture.

In the last five years, canola seed exports have increased by 250 per cent from $856 million in 2007 to more than $2.1 billion in 2011.

The top five markets for Saskatchewan agriculture products are the U.S., China, Japan, Mexico and India. Since 2007, Saskatchewan agri-food exports have increased by 60 per cent, from $6 billion to $10 billion.

Growth rates

In terms of value, reports the LeaderPost.com, the highest growth rates for agricultural products have been in soybeans, which rose by 1,145 per cent between 2010 and 20011, going to $71 million from a small base of only $5.7 million, and canola oil, which rose to $1.6 billion from $921 million in 2010 and $481 million in 2009.

Close behind was durum wheat (at $1.6 billion, 64.5 per cent ahead of 2010) and canola meal (which was at $460 million last year, a 56.6-per-cent boost over 2010).

Non-durum wheat – long a Saskatchewan staple export – was $1.859 billion last year, only 8.5 per cent above 2010.

The LeaderPost.com goes on to report that falling export values were shown in lentils (at $835 million, about 15 per cent less than the year before) and flaxseed, exports of which were $184 million, a 27.7-per-cent fall from 2010.

But the biggest export fall was in live cattle, the value of which fell to $93 million last year, compared with $170.9 million in 2010 and $160.7 million in 2009.

The value of live swine exports, on the other hand, rose by 18.9 per cent to $18.9 million.