(Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff)

By Alice McFarlane

Trade Mission to Asia

Premier promotes trade in important Asian markets

Oct 4, 2019 | 11:09 AM

Saskatchewan’s premier will lead an 11-day trade mission to Japan and South Korea starting Oct. 7.

Scott Moe will also stop in Hong Kong to meet with investors.

A key focus of the mission will be promoting Saskatchewan agriculture and agri-food products with a focus on canola, wheat, durum, malt barley, pulses, beef and pork.

“We are going to continue to increase our market presence, if you will, from a Saskatchewan perspective, in the markets that are important to us and most certainly Japan with over a billion dollars we traded with Japan just last year, is an opportunity for us to look to increase our market access of products like that,” Moe said.

“Canola, I believe is over 90 per cent of our exported material into Japan in agricultural products. We most certainly will be engaging with respect to, is there opportunities for us to expand our market access of canola, of agri-food products, of potash products, of energy products such as uranium,” he added.

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The Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP) and a contingent of its member companies, as well as Canpotex, Cameco and Mosaic will take part in the trade mission.

“The approach that we are taking, and the Team Saskatchewan approach that we’re taking over the course of the next number of months and years and ultimately, is for us to engage with all of our markets of opportunity,” Moe said. “Saskatchewan exports to over 150 countries each and every year. We are prioritizing those markets and we are attempting to engage in as many markets as possible, as soon as possible.”

The mission also includes the University of Regina, the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan PolyTechnic, as well as the International Carbon Capture and Storage Knowledge Centre, the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization and the Canadian Light Source synchrotron.

Saskatchewan’s exports to Asia have increased 158 per cent from 2007 to 2018. The province’s exports to Japan were valued at $1.13 billion in 2018. South Korea is Asia’s fourth largest economy and represents an opportunity for Saskatchewan exports.

This is Premier Moe’s first trip to Japan and South Korea.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF