The Manitoba Advantage in Canola
Manitoba is strategically located close to major canola markets in the United States, creating freight advantages for the province. CN Rail and CP Rail, two of Canada's largest railroads, transport canola to the West Coast, the St. Lawrence River, and directly to the United States.
Manitoba's Canola Industry
Over the past ten years, Manitoba has planted 3.3 million acres of canola, producing 2.9 million metric tonnes on average.
- Canola recorded $2.37 billion in agricultural cash receipts in 2022, accounting for 24 per cent of all farm cash receipts in Manitoba.
- In 2021, canola seed exports generated $1.06 billion for Manitoba’s economy with an export volume of 1.3 billion kilograms of seed, representing 45 per cent of the total export of all canola products. In 2022, the export revenue of canola seed was $1.02 billion.
- While canola oil is mainly marketed to the United States and Mexico, canola meal is primarily exported to the United States. China, Japan, and Mexico represented the top three export destinations for canola seeds in 2022.
Learn more about canola production in Manitoba here.
Industry Associations
Market and Consumer Trends
Canola is primarily used to produce canola oil. About 44 per cent of oil and 56 per cent of meals are produced when canola seeds are crushed. Canola prices in Manitoba and for export are determined by the Intercontinental Exchange's futures market. Since the beginning of 2020, the price of canola has been growing rapidly. The price of canola peaked in the spring of 2022 and has since come down following the good crop in 2022. While still above historical averages, another good crop in 2023 may result in prices coming down further.
Manitoba market prices for grains and oilseeds can be found here.
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 and Food Knowledge Exchange (MAKE) Podcast:
Contact
To learn more about Manitoba’s canola sector or if you would like this information in an alternate format, email us at mbproteinadvantage@gov.mb.ca.