The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) are welcoming the recent announcements by the Federal Government of work towards bi-lateral trades with a number of countries.
“Although the overarching goal must continue to be success at the WTO multi-lateral talks, we are nonetheless pleased to see Minister Day, on behalf of the Government, starting negotiations with countries that could be major customers for our agricultural exports,” said Doug Robertson, President of the Grain Growers of Canada.
“In these turbulent economic times, increased exports are an excellent way to help Canada’s economy going forward and so we are pleased to see our Government begin talks with the EU and India, as well as working on a good relationship with the US.”
“These are huge markets with tremendous growth potential for us. India has over one billion people, over thirty times the size of the Canadian population. In addition to talks, the opening of new trade offices, like in India, are also important steps in securing both market access and market intelligence,” said Robertson.
“Over the last while, Canada has been active in negotiating a number of deals with smaller markets like Jordan and the Dominican Republic, but we’ve been asking for more focus on some of the larger key markets like the US, the EU and India,” said Robertson. “Markets of all sizes have potential and so we encourage the Government to continue its aggressive move to negotiate deals to improve market access for our agricultural exports.”
The Grain Growers of Canada represent the interests of the 80,000 Canadian grain, pulse and oilseed producers of the Alberta Barley Commission, Alberta Oat Rye and Triticale Association, Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission, Atlantic Grains Council, British Columbia Grain Producers Association, Canadian Canola Growers Association, Canadian Young Farmers Forum, Manitoba Corn Growers Association, Oat and Barley Council of Ontario, Prairie Oat Growers Association, Western Barley Growers Association, and Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.
