Premier Scott Moe has spoken privately with Prime Minister Mark Carney about the importance of re-establishing normal agricultural trade with China.

The Chinese government imposed a 75.8 per cent duty on Canadian canola seed imports last week. Earlier this year, China placed 100 per cent tariffs on canola oil, canola meal and peas. Saskatchewan sells about $4-billion worth of agricultural products to China annually—mostly canola and peas.

Premier Moe spoke to reporters on Wednesday near a canola crushing plant in Yorkton.

An important meeting is slated for Thursday morning at the University of Saskatchewan. Those attending include Premier Moe, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Darryl Harrison, Trade and Export Minister Warren Kaeding, Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Klody Blois. Also invited are representatives from canola producer organizations, grain companies and canola crushing companies.

Moe says canola is a $45 billion industry in Canada employing 200,000 people when you include everyone in the value chain from the farmer to the food processor.

The Chinese government has not issued an official invitation for a Canadian delegation, but Moe notes that former German Chancellor Angela Merkl made many “unofficial” visits to China to build trade ties, so it is not a unique concept. He says Saskatchewan can play a supporting role through its trade office in China.

The Chinese government is upset about Canadian tariffs on electric vehicles and steel and many believe the tariffs on canola and peas were implemented as a retaliatory measure.