Todd Lewis in Gray, Saskatchewan on Aug. 13, 2020. (Libby Giesbrecht/980 CJME)

By CJME News

‘World needs what Sask. has to offer’: Ag powers exports during pandemic

Jan 22, 2021 | 12:27 PM

Saskatchewan’s agriculture industry has proven it can help prop up the province and keep it competitive, even in the middle of a pandemic.

“In Canada, trade and exports to countries around the world is down in every province except Saskatchewan,” said Chris Dekker, president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP).

He said the province has seen an increase over the last nine months of 3.6 per cent. Dekker added that number jumps to around 25 per cent with the removal of extractive resources like potash and oil.

“What it really is saying is the need to feed the world does not pause for pandemic and the world needs what Saskatchewan has to offer,” he said.

Oil and potash were the top two exported products in 2019, according to statistics provided by the Government of Saskatchewan.

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After those two sectors, it’s largely agriculture providing the bulk of exports and trade with countries like the U.S., along with various markets in Asia.

COVID-19 shook many industries in 2020.

Dekker indicated that agricultural base, including the agri-food and value-added industries, along with machinery that’s tied to the agricultural sector, have positioned Saskatchewan as a valuable trading partner with the world.