Hypocritical and ironic. Not that I would knowingly eat anything with canola oil.

http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2009/10/23....

Quote:

Chinese ban on Canadian canola shocks industry
Last Updated: Friday, October 23, 2009 | 10:28 PM ET
CBC News

(CBC)China's abrupt cancellation of Canadian canola imports is confusing authorities who say they don't understand the rationale behind the move.

According to reports, the Chinese have expressed concerns about a fungus called blackleg.

The Canola Council of Canada says blackleg disease poses no risk to human health. Nevertheless, the Chinese insist they will not accept any Canadian canola seed shipments unless the product is certified as free of the disease.

The move is effective Nov. 15.

Officials with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are investigating.

Last year, Canada shipped almost three million tonnes of canola to China. In Saskatchewan alone, the crop is valued at $5 billion, with the bulk of sales headed to China.

Farmer suspicious

Some in the industry suspect the move may be strategic.

"It might just be a tactic to drops prices down or to slow up some shipments that are heading their way," Kevin Plummer, a farmer with 100 hectares of canola south of Saskatoon, told CBC News. "But if they're serious about this, it's going to have long-term implications here."

Saskatchewan farmer Kevin Plummer says he is worried about the long-term impact on canola growers if China sticks to its new ban on canola imports with blackleg disease. Saskatchewan farmer Kevin Plummer says he is worried about the long-term impact on canola growers if China sticks to its new ban on canola imports with blackleg disease. (CBC)The blackleg fungus can only affect a canola seed if it germinates. It has no effect on canola seed pressed for oil.

Observers say the move is also suspicious because of the timing.

"[The Chinese] are going to be harvesting their canola very soon," Larry Weber, a commodities expert in Saskatoon, told CBC News. "When this was announced yesterday, their futures market … went up two per cent."

That contrasts with falling prices on some spot markets in Canada.

"China has blackleg within their own country," Weber added. "So it's a red herring."

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz was not available for comment. His office issued a statement saying government officials were heading to China and would work on the issues.

Weber said that is a smart move.

"If you know anything about the Asian psychology, trying to negotiate with China from Ottawa to somewhere in Hong Kong or somewhere in Bejing is not going to work," Weber said. "They prefer face-to-face meetings."

Weber said Ritz should be leading the trip to China.

Obviously this has it's roots somewhere other than in the blackleg fungus. This disease has been around since canola has been around. Just about took the canola industry down in the 70's in places. Blackleg exists wherever canola exists so singling out canada means something else is going on, probably not even involving agriculture. They have also put Australia on the banned list.

tinfoil hat warning here: This would not be the first time the canadian .gov sold the food producers down the river in exchange for something somewhere else in our economy (bombardier jet deal coming?). Being as blackleg is present everywhere canola is (including china) and China is hungry for resources does it strike anyone else as suspicious that they are doing this to two big natural resource exporters?

What an amazing coincidence this comes out after China signs a deal to build a huge potash base in Sask.

http://www.xe.com/news/2009/10/19/744413....

I say we kill the potash deal in retaliation. **** em, let them starve.

China doesn't blink an eye at selling the rest of the world melamine-laced food, but they're freaking out about Canadian canola oil that might contain blackleg fungus?

I think Goodlander & Obseedian are right about the something else.

TFer, "This ain't your grandpa's Great Depression."

I predict that international trade bans and tariffs will be placed and lifted just as day traders buy and sell equities.

Obseedian: What is wrong with canola oil? I thought it was supposed to be the next healthiest thing to safflower oil; more healthy than vegetable oil; but less healthy than olive oil.

Me? I like peanut oil (and I'm willing to pay the $14+ USD/gallon. I like the flavor, it is supposedly very healthy, and it has about the highest flash point of all the oils.

When I need an oil with "inert" flavor I use safflower oil.

I think sunflower oil is healthier than safflower oil.

As for canola, it's not all it's hyped up to be.
http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats....

Does anyone still buy anything that says 'Made in China'? Do you also drink cooking wine because it's cheaper?

Anyways, don't shut the potash plant down, just secretly cut it with 20% sawdust from all the softwood that we can't sell....ditto for the canola