A bold plan for boosting canola production was unveiled by the Canola Council of Canada yesterday.
After reaching its "Growing Great 2015" target of 15 million tonnes of annual production two years early, the organization that represents the entire canola value chain announced yesterday it's now aiming for 26 million tonnes of production by 2025.
"That's a bold target, no doubt about it, but we believe it can be done, and it can be done responsibly and sustainably," said Canola Council chair and Nipawin-area farmer Terry Youzwa at the new conference in Winnipeg.
To reach the 26 million tonne mark, the council is aiming for an average yield of 52 bushels per acre on 22 million acres. For comparison, the bumper crop in 2013 had an average yield of 40 bushels per acre and yielded a record 18 million tonnes.
The plan also aims to have high oleic and specialty canola varieties grown on a third of acres by 2025.
In light of the logistical challenges facing the grain industry after last year's bumper crop, questions are being asked about how processors and the transportation system will handle a 44 percent increase in production.
"I think we'll see further adjustments in the investment in processing capacity. There is and will continue to be further investment in the grain handling system, and I believe the transportation system will look at it and assess whether it's realistic - we believe it is, and I think the general industry will believe it is - and then they'll start preparing for it," said Richardson vice-president Pat van Osch, who's also a director on the Canola Council. "We have 10, 11 years toward reaching the goal, and it's our belief the system will adjust and prepare for it."
Van Osch also emphasized the industry's track record, having successfully adjusted to the council's previous goals of 7 million tonnes production by 2007 and 15 million tonnes by 2015.
Youzwa said it's important the industry adapt to meet future demand for canola.
"This is about responding to market demand," he says. "We have to start working on solving these capacity constraint problems that we have. It's really an opportunity to grow into the future."
