To sow or not to sow? Canola farmers in Canada’s vast western Prairies region have found themselves in the crossfire of trade wars with both the United States and China.
“We have two economic superpowers of the world having a trade war with us at the same time,” Rick White, head of the Canadian Canola Growers Association, told AFP.
“We’ve had our challenges but nothing of this magnitude. This is the worst of all scenarios,” he said, weeks before planting is to begin.
Canada, a major agricultural economy, is among the world’s top producers of canola — an oilseed crop that is used to make cooking oil, animal meal and biodiesel fuel.
But the bulk of canola exports go to just two customers, the United States and China, two countries with which Ottawa is now in standoffs over tariffs.
A few days ago, Beijing announced 100 percent tariffs on canola …