Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay attended a Saskatchewan Pulse Growers’ regional meeting in Regina on Monday and announced around $575 thousand in funding for pulse crop market development projects.
The minister’s visit comes amid market uncertainty for the Canadian pulse industry with India — Canada’s largest export customer — having imposed 30 and 50 percent tariffs on lentil and pea imports in late 2017.
“Trade is vital for our agricultural industry and Canadian pulses are an integral part of Canada’s export strategy,” said MacAulay.
Happy to announce a series of investments for the Canadian pulse industry totaling over half a million dollars that will help the sector explore new markets here at home and around the world. #AgrCan pic.twitter.com/P16ranGSct
— Lawrence MacAulay (@L_MacAulay) February 5, 2018
Pulse Canada will receive $178,500 from the Growing Forward 2 AgriMarketing Program to explore new markets for pulses and pulse incredients in China, Eastern Asia, the U.S. and Canada. Another $221,680 from the AgriMarketing program will go toward a project that promotes pulses in the Canadian foodservice industry.
$175,721, from the AgriInnovation Program, will also go to Pulse Canada to expand the use of pulses in China — Canada’s second largest pea export market.