“If you have a cargo with any of the shipping lines, they are ending the journey at a destination that is not on your bill of lading,” said Tala Mobayen, director of Victoria Pulse Trading Corporation.

“They are very, very hefty at this point in time,” she said.

As a result, there is no business being conducted in that market.

“I don’t see anyone buying new cargo because they’re just worried about their safety,” said Mobayen.

Mideast accounts for $769M in pulse sales

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region bought 801,000 tonnes of Canadian pulses worth $769 million in 2025, according to Pulse Canada.

Roughly 78 per cent of that business was lentils, with chickpeas chipping in another nine per cent.

Shippers face $2,000-per-container surcharges

Saleh Reda, vice-president of GEDKO Global Trading Partners, said shippers with product on the water heading to the Middle East are being slammed with a US$2,000 per container, or $80 per tonne, surcharge.

They are also being forced to pay an $800 per container, or $32 per tonne, rerouting charge with their cargo being dropped off at the nearest safe port.

“It is for the importer to figure out how to get it from that safe port to their own destination,” he said.

GEDKO ships Canadian pulses primarily to the MENA region, although it services other markets around the world as well.

Reda said further sales to the Middle East market are “frozen” because freight forwarders are telling buyers they must pay a $200 per container emergency conflict surcharge a $500 per container rate restoration initiative fee and a $150 per container emergency fuel surcharge.

“The long and short of it is, I don’t think anybody is really having the stomach to make a sale to that region,” he said.

Algeria adds to regional trade complications

Business was already slow in the MENA region even before war broke out. Liquidity has dried up in the pulse industry due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and ensuing market uncertainty.

Reda had been anticipating brisk sales due to vastly reduced pulse prices in 2025-26, but if anything, business has been slower than the previous year.

“The demand was lousy and now it’s lousier,” he said.

Exporters are used to encountering unexpected problems in the MENA region.

For instance, Algeria recently announced that only the Algerian government is allowed to import pulses as of January 2026.

Port closures block access to key distribution hub

In the past, a couple dozen Canadian exporters would ship product to a couple dozen Algerian importers.

“It’s now pretty much going to be just one or two exporters from Canada (shipping) to that one Algerian importer,” said Reda.

“That’s one unfortunate event that has happened recently.”

However, the war in Iran is affecting multiple markets at once. Shippers can no longer access ports such as Jebel Ali located near Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

It is an important hub that services many other countries in the region.

“As an exporting nation, we need every single market out there to be open for us,” he said.

Red lentil prices slip as markets close

Reda believes the sudden loss of many vital markets in the Middle East will hurt pulse prices in Canada.

Red lentil prices were about $0.23 per pound as of March 16, according to Stat Publishing. That compares to about $0.25 before the onset of the conflict in Iran.

The post Pulse sales to Mideast markets ‘frozen’ appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Peas

Canada exported 190,480 tonnes of peas in January, which was up by 15 per cent from December, reported StatCan. Year-to-date pea exports of 1.322 million tonnes were running about 200,000 tonnes behind the year-ago pace.

India was the top buyer through six months, accounting for just over 500,000 tonnes of the total pea exports. Bangladesh and China were also major buyers, although Chinese purchases of 104,406 tonnes through January compare with 413,950 tonnes at the same point a year ago.

Lentils

Canadian lentil exports were down 34 per cent in January compared to December, with about 165,342 tonnes moved out of the country. Turkey was the largest destination, accounting for 38 per cent of the total. Crop year-to-date exports of 1.191 million tonnes were down by two per cent on the year.

India was the largest buyer of lentils so far this marketing year, accounting for 30 per cent of the total. Turkey and the United Arab Emirates round out the top three.

Chickpeas

Canada exported about 19,840 tonnes of chickpeas in January, which was down 12 per cent from the previous month. The United States was the largest buyer, accounting for roughly a quarter of the total, followed by Turkey and Pakistan.

Year-to-date chickpea exports at 115,470 tonnes are running 27 per cent ahead of the 2024-25 pace.

The U.S., Turkey and Pakistan were also the top destinations for Canadian chickpeas during the 2025-26 marketing year through January.

The post Pulse weekly: Canadian pea exports up in January, lentils lag appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Thursday announced an agreement with Mexico’s national service for agri-food health, safety and quality (SENASICA) to allow shipments to Mexico of Canadian potatoes for consumption or processing.

CFIA said it will “work closely with the potato sector in the coming months as next steps are implemented.”

WHY IT MATTERS: Almost 93 per cent of Canada’s fresh potato exports by dollar value in the 2024-25 marketing year were to the U.S. alone.

Canada’s potato exports to Mexico today are almost entirely in frozen potato products. According to Statistics Canada export data for 2024-25, Canada shipped about 55,526 tonnes of frozen potatoes, valued at about C$77.7 million, to Mexico.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) says Canada that year held about a 34 per cent share of Mexico’s total imports of frozen potatoes, compared to a 52 per cent share for the U.S. and 14 per cent for Belgium.

Meanwhile, citing information from Trade Data Monitor (TDM), FAS says the U.S. has been “Mexico’s sole supplier of fresh potato imports” in recent years. In the 2023-24 marketing year, those imports came in at 204,165 tonnes.

The bulk of Mexico’s potato consumption is supplied by its domestic growers, who produced about 2.12 million tonnes in 2024.

A 2025 FAS report on the Mexican potato market said its consumers favour the domestically-grown Alpha potato variety, and “the dominance of domestically produced potatoes in the Mexican market, accounting for 91 per cent of domestic consumption, limits awareness of other potato options among Mexican households.”

FAS noted Mexico requires any fresh potato imports to be packaged in 20-pound bags or smaller, adding that Mexican consumers prefer to hand-select produce and buy relatively smaller quantities more frequently.

Imported fresh potatoes in Mexico, FAS said, today go primarily instead to “restaurants seeking to offer differentiated premium products to their customers.”

Mexico’s new move to allow Canadian fresh potatoes follows a trade mission last October by Canada’s federal agriculture minister Heath MacDonald, during which the two countries “agreed to enhance regulatory and technical co-operation” under a 2025-2028 action plan.

Those talks continued during another trade mission to Mexico last month, led by Dominic LeBlanc, minister for Canada-U.S. trade, CFIA said Thursday. MacDonald also took part in that mission, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

The 2025-2028 action plan called for the two countries to make progress on a sanitary and phytosanitary work plan to improve market access for agricultural products for both countries’ consumers and processors, and on mutual recognition of electronic certification for plant, animal, aquaculture and fishing products.

The post Path cleared to Mexico for fresh Canadian potatoes, supplanting U.S. spuds appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

While wheat exports during the week ended Oct. 26 of 364,600 tonnes were down by 23 per cent from the previous week, the crop year-to-date total of 5.1 million tonnes compares with 4.5 million tonnes at the same point a year ago and marks the fastest time Canadian wheat exports have topped five million tonnes on record.

Barley exports are also running at a solid pace at just over one million tonnes through 12 weeks. That compares with only 543,700 tonnes at the same point a year ago.

Weekly canola exports of 155,500 tonnes were up 25 per cent from the previous week. However, the crop-year-to-date total of 1.2 million tonnes compares with 2.9 million tonnes at the same point a year ago. At the current pace, yearly canola exports are only on target to hit 5.2 million tonnes. That compares with total 2024/25 canola exports of about 9.5 million tonnes.

The post Canadian wheat exports at record pace; canola lagging appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Imports last month from the U.S. fell to zero from 1.7 million tonnes a year earlier, data from China’s General Administration of Customs showed on Monday, Oct. 20.

Shipments fell because of the high tariffs China has imposed on U.S. imports and as previously harvested U.S. supplies, known as old-crop beans, have already been traded. China is the world’s biggest soybean importer.

“This is mainly due to tariffs. In a typical year, some old-crop beans would still enter the market,” said Wan Chengzhi, an analyst at Capital Jingdu Futures.

Brazil arrivals last month jumped 29.9 per cent year-on-year to 10.96 million tonnes, accounting for 85.2 per cent of China’s total imports of the oilseed, customs data showed, while shipments from Argentina rose 91.5 per cent to 1.17 million tonnes, or nine per cent of the total.

China’s soybean imports reached 12.87 million tonnes in September, the second-highest level on record.

China has not purchased any U.S. soybean cargoes from this autumn’s harvest. The window for U.S. soybean purchases is rapidly closing as buyers secure shipments through November, largely from Brazil and Argentina, helped by Argentina’s brief tax holiday.

Without a breakthrough in trade talks, U.S. farmers could face billions in losses as Chinese crushers continue sourcing from South America. Beijing, however, may also face a potential supply crunch early next year before Brazil’s new crops hit the market.

“A soybean supply gap may emerge in China between February and April next year if there’s no trade deal in place. Brazil has already shipped a huge volume, and no one knows how much old-crop stock remains,” said Johnny Xiang, founder of Beijing-based AgRadar Consulting.

Trade negotiations between Beijing and Washington appear to be regaining momentum after weeks of fresh tariff threats and export controls. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believed a soybean deal would be reached.

For the January-September period, China imported 63.7 million tonnes from Brazil, up 2.4 per cent year-on-year, and 2.9 million tonnes from Argentina, up 31.8 per cent year-on-year.

Even as Chinese buyers are shunning this year’s U.S. harvest, purchases earlier in 2025 mean that year-to-date imports of American beans have totalled 16.8 million tonnes, up 15.5 per cent, data showed.

— Reporting by Ella Cao and Lewis Jackson

The post China imports no U.S. soybeans in September for first time in seven years appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Why it matters: Ukrainian rapeseed competes with Canadian canola into European markets.

Ukraine is a major exporter of rapeseed and soybeans, mostly to European countries. The duty might create short-term price volatility, although traders expect the government to intervene before there are longer-term implications.

The Ukrainian parliament passed a bill in July imposing the duty on exports of the two oilseed crops with the aim of increasing domestic processing volumes and boosting revenue for a state budget strained by the war with Russia.

Ukraine’s grain traders union, UGA, and the UAC opposed the decision, saying the duty could simply reduce purchase prices on the domestic market, hitting farmers’ incomes.

The government has not commented on the situation.

However, analysts say the duty is unlikely to lead to significant export reductions.

On Monday, consultancy APK-Inform said it still forecasts soybean export shipments, which have not yet begun, at 2.6 million to 2.7 million tonnes. The rapeseed export forecast has also remained virtually unchanged at 2.4 million to 2.5 million tonnes.

UAC said the country exported about 640,000 tonnes of rapeseed from July to early September.

It noted that at least 400,000 tonnes of rapeseed were contracted for export this month and around 200,000 tonnes for October.

Ukraine has completed the 2025 rapeseed harvest, threshing 3.25 million tonnes.

“As of September 5, exports have been completely halted. With a 10 per cent duty, it is possible (to export), but ships are waiting in ports because the shipments contain mixed products from both producers and traders,” UAC said in a statement.

Exports are not subject to duty if the farmer sells their own rapeseed and soybean products.

“The problem lies in the lack of a clear procedure for documenting the origin of products grown by agricultural producers or cooperatives themselves,” the union said.

The post Confusion over documents halts Ukrainian rapeseed, soybeans exports, union says appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

China hit Canadian canola seed imports with preliminary 75.8 per cent duties on Tuesday following an anti-dumping investigation, escalating a year-long trade dispute. Grain buyers reacted by yanking their bids to buy crops in the next few months, said Dale Leftwich, the policy manager for SaskOilseeds.

Why it matters: China is Canadian farmers’ largest canola seed market and would be difficult to replace.

“It throws everything into confusion,” said Leftwich, whose organization represents oilseed growers in Saskatchewan.

“It’s a huge hit.”

China is by far Canada’s biggest canola seed market and will not be easy to replace, canola trade experts told Reuters. Canada exported almost C$5 billion of canola products to China in 2024, about 80 per cent of which was seed, and the steep duties would likely all but end those Chinese imports if they are maintained.

Futures prices fell as much as 6.5 per cent on Tuesday, hitting a four-month low at one point, and some traders said prices could fall further if the Chinese tariffs linger.

China did not say on Tuesday how long the duties would last. A permanent decision on tariffs was expected for September but the preliminary duty had some wondering whether the timeline might be extended.

Farmers sell their crops to local grain elevator companies who temporarily store the grain, before loading it onto trains and then ships for export to overseas markets like China.

Grain elevator companies are worried they will not be able to ship out canola seed that they buy from farmers, so are unlikely to buy more until they have a clear sense of what will happen, traders said.

Farmers are wondering how they are going to pay the bank and cover bills, said Saskatchewan farmer Chris Procyk, who was having an early morning coffee with his wife when he received a flood of texts and emails about the Chinese trade action.

With the Canadian canola crop maturing and within days or a few weeks of harvest, selling the crop quickly is vital for farmers who need to cover bills for expensive inputs like fertilizer that they bought on credit.

“This is the worst possible time,” Procyk said.

The post Canadian farmers reel as China blocks top canola seed market appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“I’ve never been to an outdoor show like this before,” said Sara Wilshaw on Wednesday afternoon, after touring the show site and speaking to equipment manufacturers. “This is amazing. Incredible. And the live demonstrations are so important, I think.”

Follow all of our Ag in Motion coverage at the Western Producer.

In her role Wilshaw is responsible for helping Canadian businesses secure and explore international markets, find new customers and partners and grow Canadian exports.

Wilshaw told the Western Producer that buyers she met at the event welcomed the opportunity to escape the meeting room, observe equipment in the field and touch and test it.

“The feedback I’ve gotten has been so positive,” she said.

Wilshaw said the current volatile trade environment means it’s more important than ever to take a systematic approach to growing trade and exports.

“This is why we need partnerships, and why you’re hearing folks talking about our trading partners,” she said.

She noted Canada currently has 15 trade agreements, covering 51 different countries and spanning the globe. She also noted that CUSMA remains in effect in North America and trade continues to flow between Canada, Mexico and the U.S. even in the face of tariff threats.

“It is still working, there’s a lot going in CUSMA-compliant to the United States,” she said. “It is still, and always, going to be an extremely important trading partner for us.”

When asked about Canada’s canola trade to China, she noted she’s not directly involved in it, but that the entire Canadian government is aware of the issue and working on it.

“The government, and ministers, are acutely aware of it, up to the Prime Minister,” she said.

For more stories on international trade from Ag In Motion, see future issues of Glacier FarmMedia publications.

The post Outdoor farm show a trade supercharger says commissioner appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“Nutrien is reviewing options to increase West Coast port capacity as part of our long-term strategy to strengthen supply chain resilience and support rising global demand for potash,” the company said in a statement.

The Canada-based company is seeking a deep-water port with rail infrastructure capable of handling bulk potash exports for fast-growing Indo-Pacific markets, including China, India and Japan.

— Reporting by Pooja Menon in Bengaluru

The post Nutrien plans major Pacific Northwest terminal to boost potash exports appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

With just over two months left in the marketing year, canola exports have already topped the previous target of 7.5 million tonnes, accounting for the upward revision to 8.5 million tonnes in the tables released May 21. However, AAFC left their call for 2024/25 ending stocks unchanged at 1.3 million tonnes.

To make calculations work, AAFC is now using a feed, waste and dockage estimate of negative 609,000 tonnes. The numbers are “expected to be updated, pending revisions from Statistics Canada in upcoming releases.”

New crop canola carryout for 2025/26 was left unchanged at 2.0 million tonnes, despite adjustments to the domestic crush forecast.

Canola crush for 2025/26 is now forecast at 11.0 million tonnes, down from last month’s estimate of 12.0 million tonnes, on tighter supplies and heightened uncertainty over proposed tariffs and renewable energy mandates. “The forecast is tentative and may be significantly revised depending on ongoing tariff discussions and resulting impacts on world trade,” said AAFC adding “if current trade actions have only a marginal impact on world vegetable oil and protein meal markets, Canadian crush plants are forecast to operate at full capacity due to strong world demand.

May estimates for Canadian major crops supply and demand: in million tonnes. Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

The post AAFC ups canola exports, but leaves ending stocks unchanged appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.