WINNIPEG, MAN. – The Canola Council of Canada has set a 2025 target of 52 bus per acre, for a total harvest of 26 million tonnes, that will help the canola industry capitalize on the world’s growing demand for healthier oils and protein. The goals of the plan, called “Keep it Coming 2025,” would mark an increase from a 2013 canola harvest of a record-high 40 bus per acre and 17.96 million tonnes. The 2013 harvest surpassed the council’s goal of reaching 15 million tonnes by 2015.

The Winnipeg-based council has made three priorities to help it achieve the 2025 goal. For one priority, the plan aims to increase production through increased yield on every acre, rather than through a significant increase in acres.

“As a canola grower myself, I am convinced we can achieve the target of 52 bus per acre,” said Terry Youzwa, chairman of the council’s board of directors and a farmer in Saskatchewan. “The genetic potential is there, and we intend to harness the full capacity of industry agronomists, advisors and scientists to make the most of it.

“We will target growers with the right research at the right time, and we will respond to each producer’s unique circumstances in order to maximize production from every single seed of planted canola.”

The second priority involves differentiating and demonstrating the quality characteristics of seed, oil and meal to meet new and existing customer requirements at a competitive price.

“As we differentiate canola in the international market place, we will take a more targeted approach based on solid analysis,” said Neil Sabourin of Cargill and a council board member. “We will have better knowledge of exactly what we need to do in various markets to meet specific customer needs.”

The third priority involves market access and creating a trade environment that consistently allows industry to receive the maximum value for canola and its products free of tariff and non-tariff trade barriers.

Canada has 43,000 canola growers, according to the council.