China imports about one-third of the canola grown in Canada. It’s critical Canadian canola meet the requirements for selling into the Chinese market.
That’s why the Canola Council of Canada is advising against the use of quinclorac herbicide on canola in 2016, explains Brian Innes, vice president of government relations for the CCC.
Quinclorac is the active ingredient in the product known as “Clever,” which was registered last year and marketed for its control of cleavers in canola. The Canola Council issued its first warning about using the product last June. Several grain companies also announced they wouldn’t accept quinclorac-treated canola.
China has no maximum residue limit (MRL) for quinclorac in canola and has no history of accepting canola with quinclorac residues. In testing last year, tresidues were found “most of the time” in canola from fields where quinclorac was applied according to label directions, leading the Canola Council to believe there’s “significant risk” to Chinese exports if growers use the product. Japan, another major market, just established an MRL for quinclorac in December 2015.
“The Canola Council has a policy to only support the use of pesticides that don’t result in concerns in our major markets,” explains Innes.
The recommendation has left some growers wondering what has changed, as quinclorac has been used in the past for weed control in Western Canada.
Source : AlbertaCanola