Japan has resumed importing Canadian wheat after it halted purchases when a few “rogue” genetically modified (GM) wheat plants were found in southern Alberta in June.
It is not exactly known how the GM wheat appeared along an access road. According to a report, “it contained a known trait but one that was dropped from testing nearly 20 years ago and the plants were found hundreds of kilometers from the nearest test site.”
At the time of the discovery, South Korea also suspended imports, but resumed them about a week later. Recent testing found no GM wheat in Japan’s imports.
“Not only does Canada’s grain-handling system employ some of the most rigorous quality control protocols in the world, but we also prioritize transparency with our customers,” said Tom Steve, general manager of the Alberta Wheat Commission. “Japan is a highly valued customer of Canada and we are pleased to see that they have reaffirmed their confidence in our system and have resumed normal trade.”
Japan is one of the largest buyers of Canadian wheat; it purchases 1.5-2 million tons annually. Japan said it was seeking to buy 62,957 tons of Canada Western Red Spring after it suspended Canadian purchases.
Japan corn usage
Data from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries showed that the country’s use of corn in animal feed rose to 48.7 percent in May from 46.9 percent a year earlier.
Total shipments of compound feed for the month rose 2.02 million tons, 3.72 percent higher than in April.
