(file photo/farmnewsNOW Staff)

By Alice McFarlane

Canadian canola

Canada’s market works to find new options for canola

May 27, 2019 | 12:57 PM

As the trade stalemate continues with China, work goes on to find new market opportunities for Canadian canola.

One area of diversification would be in the domestic market and canola-based biofuels.

Canadian Canola Growers Association C.E.O. Rick White said it does not go unnoticed that there is an opportunity in Canada and it has been discussed at the canola working group.

“That can grow our economy and improve the environment as it emits up to 90 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions then fossil diesel so biofuels are, in our view, an important end use for canola,” White said. “We already have low carbon canola biofuel in play already in a proven liquid biofuel. We currently have a renewable fuel mandate. It’s currently at two per cent.”

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White said that mandate could be moved to five per cent of the diesel pool required to be renewable and would include a performance standard 50 per cent greenhouse gas reduction. The change would mean 1.3 million metric tonnes of canola would be consumed.

“It would reduce greenhouse gases by 3.5 million metric tonnes per year. The cost of expanding the mandate to five per cent would be negligible at the consumer level at less than one cent a litre, actually, around .7 cents per litre would be the financial impact at the pump,” White said. “We believe it has a lot of merit, it’s proven and it creates a new piece of demand. Although it will not replace China, every little bit helps.”

White said they will continue to discuss the issue and encourage the federal government to push it forward.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF