BEIJING: China has banned imports from a second Canadian canola firm, its customs administration said on Tuesday , the latest escalation in a burgeoning row between the two countries.
The ban comes less than a month after Beijing removed the export permit of major Canadian canola firm Richardson International, which was blocked following the discovery of"hazardous pests" in its shipments. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also weighed in, saying on Tuesday that his government is"taking very seriously the situation around canola" and would"continue to work with to resolve this dispute."He added that Ottawa is considering sending a high-level delegation to China to press the issue.
Canada exported more than Can$5 billion worth of canola last year, with almost half of it, or about five million tonnes, going to China, according to industry figures.