Sask. premier recently concluded his trade mission to India
By Kate Ayers
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Premier Scott Moe recently traveled to India to strengthen Saskatchewan’s trade relations and to discuss challenges caused by that country’s tariffs on Canadian pulse crops.
During his trade mission, Moe met with Indian government and business leaders to promote Saskatchewan’s strong trade market potential, a Government of Saskatchewan release said yesterday.
“India is one of Saskatchewan’s most important markets,” Moe said in the release.
“This mission was an opportunity for me to meet with important Indian stakeholders and decision makers and to discuss ways to work together to advance our mutual prosperity.”
In addition to discussing pulse tariffs, Moe addressed a few other issues during the mission:
- he met with major importers and users of Saskatchewan potash
- he had meetings with Indian business leaders to promote Saskatchewan as a place to invest
- he took part in roundtable discussions with both Canadian and Indian business leaders to promote future trade growth
“It is important that our government engages (with) international partners to support federal initiatives and market access efforts … to advance these(issues) that are critically important for our producers,” James Kettel, the executive director of trade and value-added branch with Sask.’s ministry of ag said to Farms.com yesterday.
“Canada and India need to continue to work together to develop non-tariff policies that are predictable, transparent and can be implemented with sufficient advanced notice. … Having tariffs adjusted (at the) last minute … makes (crop marketing) difficult for producers.”
Saskatchewan’s top exports to India include potash, uranium, lentils and peas, the release said.
The province exported $1.15 billion worth of goods to India last year, according to the release. This amount accounted for 27 per cent of Canada’s total exports to the country.