A recent report from Farm Credit Canada shows the agriculture sector is more important to Canada than it is in all other countries.
FCC’s Chief Agricultural Economist JP Gervais stated the report on Ag Economics takes the combined value of all agriculture exports and imports from each of the major agriculture trading countries and divides that number by each country’s population.
"We have the number one importer in the world and the number two exporter and that makes a number one world trader," said Gervais. "I think it speaks highly of what we were able to acheive. We are a leader in the world trade especially when it comes to ag and food."
In 2013 the value of Canada’s agriculture imports and exports was more than $2100 US per person followed by Australia at about $1900 US per person.
Gervais said staying at the top is going to require a lot of efforts:
"If we work together in the industry, from input suppliers to producers to processors, I have no doubt that we can remain at the top and we can keep expanding on our production and feed the world."
Gervais added Canada’s aggressive trade agenda is very positive and beneficial for the industry.