The Manitoba Advantage in Canola
Manitoba has a reliable and consistent supply of canola, with crushers using half of the production. Manitoba is strategically located close to major canola markets in the United States, creating freight advantages for the province. Expansion of canola crushing facilities in Altona, Harrowby and Ste. Agathe in the last 10 years has more than doubled the crush capacity of the province.
Manitoba's Canola Industry
Canola is produced across all cropping regions in Manitoba, with over 5,800 canola producers and three major canola crushers, as well as smaller cold-pressed crushers. The harvested area can range from 3.1 to 3.6 million acres per year.
- Manitoba produced 3.2 million tonnes of canola seed in 2020, which accounts for 17 per cent of the production in Canada.
- Farm cash receipts totalled $1.62 billion in 2020.
The province exported $1.88 billion in canola and canola-derived products in 2020, accounting for over 40 per cent of Manitoba’s export value in agriculture.
Processors:
- Bunge Canada – Altona and Harrowby
- M&C Commodities
- Merit Functional Foods
- Viterra Inc. – Ste. Agathe
Suppliers:
Industry Associations:
- Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA)
- Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA)
- Canola Council of Canada (CCA)
- Canadian Oilseed Processors Association (COPA)
Market and Consumer Trends
The canola crop is primarily used to produce canola oil. The co-product, canola meal, is used as high-protein animal feed. The protein content in canola seed is around 20.1 per cent.
As consumers are actively trying to incorporate more plant-based protein into their diets, canola is increasingly being considered for its potential as a protein ingredient.
Research
There is ongoing research in Manitoba and across the prairies on novel flea beetle control measures, harvester processing and threshing losses, and improved disease surveillance.
Manitoba Agriculture & Food Knowledge Exchange (MAKE) Podcast Series:
Contact
Email: Manitoba Agriculture
