As China turns away from Canadian canola, Australia emerges as an alternative supplier
China is already purchasing Australian canola on a trial basis as Canadian shipments plunge due to Chinese tariffs, industry sources say
Canada’s status as the dominant supplier of canola to China appears to be under threat as shipments plunge amid a tit-for-tat tariff battle between the two nations. And Australia is already emerging as an alternative source of the staple vegetable oil, analysts and industry insiders say.
China’s imports of canola from Canada fell by 55 per cent year on year to 173,250 tonnes in July – the lowest level recorded since July 2023 – Chinese customs data showed. The value of those shipments was down 49 per cent year on year at US$102.06 million.
Canada was previously China’s top source of imported canola, supplying all of China’s imports of the crop in 2023 and 2024, according to official data. But China now appears to be exploring alternatives.
Official figures have not yet been released for last month’s canola trade between China and Australia, but sources in the Australian grain industry told the Post that China was already making purchases.
“China is buying canola from Australia, as a trial shipment, in the vicinity of 50,000 tonnes,” an industry source said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.
Australia has not been a major canola exporter to China in recent years. China’s last significant purchase from the country was in January 2021, when it imported 93,100 tonnes of the product worth US$41.65 million, according to official data.
China and Australia have been seeking to stabilise their relationship in recent years, after bilateral ties soured during the tenure of former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison in 2019 and 2020.