The growing use of vegetable oil all over the world has given rise to the production of Canola oil. Vegetable oil is generally used in China and India and in other EU countries.
Ranking of Canola as oil crop
You may be interested to know the ranking of Canola as an oil crop in the world. Although it used to be the sixth largest oil crop, the increase in vegetable oil usage has made it rise to the second position recently. It is expected that by 2025 the production of Canola oil is to rise by 40%. In the last decade, the export of this oil has also doubled.
Usage of Canola oil
Though we are talking about Canola oil production, it is prudent to know how this oil is used. Mainly this oil is used by U.S., China, Japan, Mexico, and Pakistan. In the year 2008 U.S. used 2,800 million pounds when the production was 1,000 pounds. In the year 2010, the U.S. consumption increased to 3 billion pounds. U.S. is the biggest importer of Canola Oil, and it is estimated that 70% of the oil produced in Canada is imported by U.S. It is also seen that major global fast food chains like KFC, Taco Bell, and McDonald’s have started the usage of this oil for making their food products. Canola oil is basically used as food and for industrial purpose. As a food it is used for:
- Animal feed
- Cooking and salad oil
- Margarine
- Shortening
The industrial usages are
- Bio-diesel
- Cosmetics
- Detergents and soaps
- Fertilizers
- Inks
- Lacquers
- Lubricants, greases, and hydraulic fluids
- Pharmaceuticals
- Photographic compounds
- Plastics
- Surfactants
Why is this oil usage rising?
Before knowing about the countries where Canola oil is produced it is good to know why this particular vegetable oil usage is rising. The main reason for the rise in usage is the health factor related to this oil. The health benefits that can be had are due to the features of this oil. The features that lead to having health benefits are:
- Low in saturated fat
- Having both Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acid
- High percentage of monounsaturated fats
The health benefits that can be had are
- Reduction of LDL
- Decreasing risk of heart disorder
How is this oil produced?
It is good to know how this oil is produced from the seeds. The Canola seeds are rich in oil. The liquid is extracted by heating the seeds at high temperature. The extracted oil is then refined to eliminate the unhealthy subjects that are present in the oil.
Countries producing most of Canola Oil
If we look worldwide, then we will see that this oil is produced in various countries. Let us check out the top ten countries producing Canola Oil globally. They are listed below in descending order:
- Kazakhstan with a production of 240,000 MT is the tenth country
- Pakistan, with a production of 322,000 MT is the 9th largest producer of this oil.
- Belarus is the 8th with a production of 681,000 MT
- United States with a production of 1,013,000 MT is the 7th.
- The 6th largest producer of this oil is Russia with a production of 1,437,000 MT
- Ukraine being the 5th has a production of 2,367,000 MT
- Australia comes next at 4th place with a production of 3,814,000 MT
- India is the 3rd largest producer of Canola Oil, and the production is of 7,946,000 MT
- China with a production of 14,853,000 MT is the 2nd largest Canola Oil producing country
- Canada leads all with Canola Oil production with a production of 18,362,000 MT
It is seen that Canadian economy benefits a lot from the production of Canola Oil.
Why these countries lead the show
You may be wondering why these countries which include some third world countries lead the show. The main reason for this is the weather required for growing Canola. These countries being situated away from the equator has dry weather and shorter growing season which is what is ideal for growing Canola.
The worldwide trade of Canola Oil
If we have a look at the worldwide trade of Canola Oil, then it can easily be seen that Canada leads the show. The exports made from Canada account for half of the world trade. 90% of Canola produced in Canada is exported either as seed, oil or meal.
Where is Canola produced in Canada?
It is estimated that 43,000 Canadian farmers grow Canola. The western provinces of Canada namely Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the main producers. British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec also have a substantial share in the entire production of Canadian canola.
The production of Canola has a potential impact on Canadian Economy. It gives rise to $19.3 billion of economic activity, has generated 250,000 jobs with a salary payment of $12.5 billion.
The timeline of Canola production in Canada
If we have a look at the largest producer of Canola Oil in the world then we will see the below facts:
- In the year 1974, the first variety of Canola was released by Canada.
- In the year 1978, Canola was trademarked by Canada.
- The popularity of the crop grew as it was exported to various countries worldwide.
- In the year 1979, 8.4 million acres of Canola plantation was done in Canada.
- The year 1995 saw the release of herbicide- tolerant canola variety
- In the year 2016, 19 million acres of Canola plantation was done in Canada, and the yield per acre was 42.3 bushels.
Impact of Canola in Canadian Economy
Canadian authority has set a target of increasing the production of Canola to 52 bushels per acre by the year 2025, and there are particular reasons for that. The reasons are:
- Canola is the key source of farm cash flow into the Canadian economy.
- To maintain the number one world ranking as the leading exporter of Canola oil globally.
Factors that impact Canola Farming in Canada
There are certain factors that need to be addressed so that the Canola farmers do not face problems. The factors are:
Trade agreement: There should be proper trade agreement so that farmers get their profitability and do not face financial problems.
Proper means of transportation: There should be proper means of transportation from the farms to the ports so that effective exports can be done.
Facing the environmental hazards: Proper care should be taken so that there is no excess usage of herbicides, building soil having proper carbon percentage and using less fuel so that proper yield of Canola can be achieved.
I’m Hina Khan, working as a writer at Worldblaze.in blog. I love dancing and listening punjabi music. Here I’m sharing all the interesting stuffs that will definitely entertain you.