CAPI: Canada Needs To Fulfill Farm Export Potential

A new report by the Ottawa-based Canadian Agrifood Policy Institute (CAPI) concluded that the country should do more to retain its role as the third largest global exporter of food, and criticizes the country’s government for not having a comprehensive policy to take the country’s huge agriculture sector forward.

Having slipped down the global food export league table to seventh, Canada is accused in the report of having out-of-date policies which fail to take full advantage of its strategic farming assets. In its report, CAPI said the country is failing to maximize its natural advantages of climate, geography and skills.

The study said that for Canada to fulfill its potential and regain its competitive edge against Brazil, China and Argentina, it needs a food plan that is “systems based” not “value chain” based. This would be one that brings producers, processors and policy makers to the same table. It also would need a Cabinet Committee on Food to ensure that the current failed regulatory system could be overhauled to promote sustainability, foster innovation and collaboration among Canadian producers and growers.

The report has high aims for Canadian farmers. It would like to see the farm sector double the dollar value of Canadian agricultural exports to C$75 billion by 2025. It would also like farmers to produce and supply 75% of the country’s own food, up from the current 68%. At the same time the authors expect Canada to generate more revenue and efficiency by relying on biomaterials and biofuels in 75% of the agrifood sector. ◆