Ottawa, Ontario – Agriculture and Agri-Food
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz will attend the G20 Ministerial Agricultural Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, from 7-8 May where 20 members will discuss how the G20 can support progress towards the achievement of sustainable food systems. Thanks to the Harper Government's strong commitment to secure free trade agreements, including the recently concluded Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union and the now in force Canada – Korea Free Trade Agreement, Canadian businesses will have preferential access to nearly half of all G20 members. Building on these recently signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Minister Ritz will hold bilateral meetings with key Agriculture Ministers to further advance Canadian agriculture interests with important trading partners.
Quick facts
- These meetings mark the second conference of G20 Ministers of Agriculture.
- Canadian agriculture and seafood exports in 2014 totalled a record $56.4 billion worldwide.
- Canadian agriculture and seafood exports in 2014 to G20 partners totalled $43.4 billion.
- Canada's agri-food exports to Turkey totalled $347.9 million in 2014, an increase of 515% since 2006.
Source: AAFC