The CWB welcomes the announcement by the Canadian government of an agreement with Indonesia on quality and safety standards.
The agreement gives Canada preferred status in a market worth more than $300 million a year to Prairie wheat farmers, and effectively recognizes the superior quality-control systems for grain exported from Canada. On average, about eight per cent of all wheat exported each year by the CWB goes to Indonesia, which is typically one of Canada’s top five wheat customers.
“This agreement builds upon the strong and long-standing relationship between the Canadian Wheat Board and our valued Indonesian customers,” said Ian White, CWB president and CEO. “I thank Minister Ritz for his efforts in reaching this agreement, which recognizes the high-quality and safety of grain from western Canada.”
Indonesia recently imposed stricter phytosanitary controls on plant imports, including grains, to prevent the introduction and spread of pests. However, under the agreement, Canadian wheat exports will not be subject to the new measures, avoiding costly and time-consuming additional testing and controls.
In 2009-10, the CWB exported approximately 845,000 tonnes of wheat to the Asian nation. The previous year, western Canadian wheat exports totalled 934,000 tonnes. Indonesian customers buy Prairie wheat for breads, baking and noodles.
