CFA welcomes trade talks between Canada and Morocco

April 17, 2009 -- The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) welcomed the news of a strengthened trade partnership and talks of a free trade agreement between Canada and the Kingdom of Morocco.
 
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz met this week with the Moroccan agriculture and trade ministers in Morocco to discuss opportunities for negotiation of a free-trade agreement.
CFA's member grain and pulse producers welcome a free trade agreement between the two countries.
 
"Our grain and pulse producers, including the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) have been pushing for this kind of agreement for several years now," said Laurent Pellerin, CFA President.
 
The beginning of free trade talks with Morocco is crucial to protect Prairie durum wheat exports worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Last year, the trade relationship between Canada and Morocco was worth $450 million, of which agricultural products accounted for the vast majority of that trade amount. In 2008, the CWB sold a near-record 622 000 tonnes of durum to Morocco, worth about $300 million to Prairie producers.
 
"The announcement of trade talks is very important for our western Canadian members, with CWB supplying over 90 per cent of the country's durum import demand, making it the world's top exporter of durum wheat to Morocco," said Pellerin. "The trade relationship between these two countries is very important and trade talks with the hope of a free trade agreement are welcomed."