Cereals Canada welcomes the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Canada and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a milestone that reinforces an already valuable relationship for Canada’s cereals sector. The agreement strengthens Canada’s competitive position in the UAE, the Gulf region’s largest importer of Canadian wheat and oats, while supporting growth opportunities across the broader region.
Negotiated in just 47 days, the Canada-UAE CEPA is the fastest free trade negotiation in Canadian history. It provides broad tariff elimination for Canadian agricultural exports and introduces measures to reduce non-tariff barriers. The agreement will take effect following the completion of domestic ratification processes in both countries.
“The UAE is an important regional trading hub,” said Leif Carlson, vice president of markets and trade at Cereals Canada, noting that Canada exports an average of 294,000 tonnes of cereals to the UAE annually, with a value of $123 million.
Bread is the leading wheat-based product in the UAE, and demand is expected to remain strong, with consumption projected to continue growing over the next five years. As the top supplier of high-protein wheat to the UAE, Canada is well-positioned to support the needs of its food industry.
“Companies purchase and use Canadian cereals as ingredients in products consumed across the Gulf, while UAE-based trading companies promote Canadian cereals to customers throughout Africa and the broader Middle East,” Carlson explained. “That expanded reach strengthens Canada’s brand and supports market diversification.”
Cereals Canada has continued to build relationships and share technical expertise across the region. Recent activities include webinars for milling companies in Saudi Arabia and a Gulf technical exchange program involving key buyers. Both initiatives have taken place within the last two years.
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