Discussions between Canadian and Chinese officials continue over Canadian canola exports.

Government and industry representatives would like to see a quick solution before China’s September 1st deadline.

China wants Canada to reduce the level of dockage in our shipments,  by half over concerns about blackleg disease.

Brian Innes is the Vice President of Government Relations for the Canola Council of Canada:

"What China is proposing to do is have a government mandated 1% limit on dockage, which is lower then anywhere else in the world, and in fact, no where in the world is lower then 2.5%. Right now that would be very difficult for the Canadian industry to meet on the volume of canola that we send to China," he said.

Dockage is the amount of foreign material, for example, pieces of stems and leaves that can be found in a shipment.

Innes adds that the situation is already causing issues for Canadian farmers.

"The impacts of this are already being felt by farmers. It is slowing our exports down already, we have seen prices fall and we know that not achieving a solution will further reduce incomes and create more uncertainty," he said.

China represents about 40% of our Canola seed exports or about 4 million tonnes, with huge potential for further growth in that market.