Toronto | Reuters — Canadian industries that would be most acutely impacted by the death of the North American Free Trade Agreement are unable to meaningfully plan for a possible post-NAFTA world given the uncertainty of what could replace it, analysts and executives said. With three quarters of Canadian exports landing in the U.S., the […] Read more
Canadian companies struggle to plan for post-NAFTA world
India imposes duties on chickpeas, lentils
CNS Canada — India is introducing immediate 30 per cent tariffs on imports of chickpeas and lentils, the country’s government announced Thursday. The import duties follow the 50 per cent tariff on yellow peas India introduced in November, and come as part of ongoing efforts by India to support farmers. “Production of chana (chickpeas) and […] Read more
Give peas a chance — the future looks bright
Acreage may plummet in the coming year, but the new processing plants are laying the foundation for a surge in production
Reading Time: 5 minutes Here’s some counterintuitive advice: Think about growing peas in 2018. That’s a suggestion from Alan Hall, who has kept a close watch on the pulse sector in his role as ‘new initiatives and project hunter’ with the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund. As such, Hall is well aware of the recent plunge in pea prices, […] Read more
It’s not pretty but it’s not a disaster yet, says top pulse official
India’s pea tariff has roiled markets, but Gordon Bacon urges farmers to wait and see how things play out
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada’s top pulse official says predictions that India’s bolt-out-of-the-blue tariff could slash Prairie pea acreage by a third are premature. “Things are changing very rapidly right now,” said Gordon Bacon, CEO of Pulse Canada. “India is under a lot of pressure to do something that both provides some price support to their farmers — but acknowledges […] Read more
Canada pans India’s ‘discriminatory treatment’ over pulses
Winnipeg | Reuters — Canada on Wednesday accused India of “discriminatory treatment” against it in a dispute over $1.1 billion worth of Canadian pulse crop exports. Canada normally ships much of the peas, lentils and other protein-rich pulse crops its farmers grow to India, where they are a staple of many diets. But earlier this […] Read more
India pea tariffs part of broader self-sufficiency goal
Winnipeg | CNS Canada — India’s surprise move to impose 50 per cent tariffs on pea imports was a shock to Canadian exporters, but the tariffs were introduced to help India’s own farmers as the country works toward self-sufficiency in pulse production. That’s according to Anurag Tulshan, director of pulse brokerage Esarco Exim Pvt. Ltd. […] Read more
Japan to propose changes to beef import safeguards in talks with U.S.
Tokyo | Reuters — Japan will propose changes to its safeguard mechanism on frozen U.S. beef imports that will shorten review periods and allow importers to voluntarily lower import volumes to prevent tariffs from automatically kicking in, two government sources said on Thursday. The proposal will be made at the second round of the U.S.-Japan […] Read more
U.S. retail, dining, ag sectors rip NAFTA produce proposal
Washington | Reuters — U.S. retail, restaurant and agriculture groups have weighed in against proposals regarding fresh produce put forward by U.S. negotiators as part of an effort to renegotiate NAFTA, according to letters sent to U.S. officials. Talks to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement resume this weekend in Mexico, the second round […] Read more
Japan beef tariff hike threatens trade relations: Perdue
Chicago / Reuters – Japan’s decision to hike tariffs on frozen beef imports from the United States could disrupt sales and harm trade relations between the two countries, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said on Friday. Japan will raise tariffs from August on imports of frozen beef, popular in beef bowl dishes, from the United […] Read more
Trump vows to back U.S. dairy farmers in Canada trade spat
Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to defend U.S. dairy farmers who have been hurt by Canada’s protectionist trade practices, during a visit to the cheese-making state of Wisconsin. Canada’s dairy sector is protected by high tariffs on imported products and controls on domestic production as a means of supporting prices that […] Read more