China will hold off on changing regulations on canola dockage as discussions continue between China and Canada to resolve concerns around blackleg disease.
China wanted to enforce a maximum of one per cent dockage on canola imports as early as Friday, but through these discussions, has postponed the change until Sept. 1.
Canola Council of Canada president Patti Miller explains China is concerned blackleg, a disease in canola and rapeseed crops, could be transferred into Chinese rapeseed production through dockage from canola imports.
"Intuitively, they're saying risk of blackleg transmission would be lower at lower dockage levels, but our research has shown there is virtually no risk of disease transmission at current dockage levels, so we're in discussion over those research results," she says.
According to Miller, current dockage levels are negotiated between companies buying and selling canola, with the Canadian Grain Commission allowing only 2.5 per cent on commercially cleaned canola.
Miller says the Canola Council has done significant research since about 2010 looking at the transfer of blackleg. She says they've examined the entire supply chain, but the Chinese has disagreed with the results looking at the transmission of disease through dockage.
Source : Portageonline