Ontario trade mission to China completed

May 04, 2015

Mission took place from April 16th to 25th

Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal and Michael Chan, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade completed a 10-day mission to China that included stops in Beijing, Weifang, Shouguang, Nanjing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to promote agricultural trade with Ontario.

“China is Ontario’s second largest trading partner and we need to work together to seize new opportunities to help Ontario businesses succeed,” said Minister Chan before leaving for China. “This mission builds the Ontario brand internationally in a priority market and will improve our competitive position in the global economy.”

While there, Ministers Leal and Chan met with over 300 political and business figures in China and discussed opportunities for them to use Ontario agricultural products.

Some agreements that took place during the mission include:

Futurevic Global Sourcing and Shijiazhuang Junlebao Dairy Company signing a letter of intent to buy $2 million worth of Ontario maple products over the next two years.
Pillitteri Estates Winery and China’s Hare Wine Company signed a $6 million agreement that will see more Ontario icewine in China.

Starting on June 1, 2015, a trade advisor based in Beijing will help Ontario’s agri-food sector expand into the Chinese market.

The mission was done as part of Ontario’s Going Global Trade Strategy to help small and medium-sized businesses expand their reach, and as part of Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Agri-Food Growth Challenge which is aimed at creating 120,000 new agri-food sector jobs by 2020.

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts about Ontario’s trade mission to China to promote and expand Ontario’s agricultural reach in the country.

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