Agriculture Minister David Marit will be traveling to the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh and India for a trade mission and to attend the Pulses Conclave on February 6 -14, 2020.
The mission aims to expand and strengthen trade, research and investment ties with some of the province’s long-standing partners. The mission will also increase understanding of the South Asian and Middle Eastern markets’ agri-food needs.
“The United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh are both priority markets and represent over $500 million in combined agri-food exports in 2018. While we have encountered some recent trade barriers in India, it is traditionally a major export destination for our pulses,” Minister of Agriculture David Marit said. “Saskatchewan remains a reliable supplier of safe, high-quality agri-food products. It is important we continue to look into new opportunities and ensure we have markets open to our products.”
Saskatchewan currently exports 43 per cent of the world’s lentils, 32 per cent of the world’s dry peas and 24 per cent of the global supply of canola seed. In 2018, Saskatchewan was the United Arab Emirates’ largest supplier of canola seed and accounted for 35 per cent of the country’s imports.
Saskatchewan is Bangladesh’s top supplier of canola seed and second largest supplier of wheat, lentils, and dry peas. Over the last five years, Saskatchewan agri-food exports to India have averaged over $855 million. India is the world’s second-most populous country and Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Both markets continue to be leading consumers of plant-based proteins, such as pulses. Marit will begin his trip in Dubai, then travel to Dhaka and finally Mumbai and Lonavala for the fifth biennial Pulses Conclave. While attending the Conclave, Marit will deliver a keynote speech regarding Saskatchewan’s pulse production and further opportunities for improved trade relations between Canada and India.
The mission delegation will also include representation from the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership and the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan to highlight research ties between Canada and Bangladesh.
