Canada is a leader in agriculture and agri-food and continues to be a leading producer of high-quality seed that is in strong demand in the Canadian and international marketplace. The numbers below indicate just how important the seed industry is to Canada. For more Fast Facts, please view the Fast Facts PDF document (37 KB).

Production and Sales

  • The seed industry generates $770 million in combined domestic and export sales every year
  • Nearly one quarter of the seed produced in Canada is exported
  • Canadian seed is exported to approximately 70 countries, generating $188.7 million in 2002/03 – a 33% increase over the past five years
  • 1.2 million acres of pedigreed seed crops are produced annually in Canada by 4,000 experienced, trained seed growers

Provincial Economic Analysis Studies 

  • Ontario’s seed industry has sales approaching $60 million in raw form at the farm gate and is responsible for generating $647 million to GDP
  • $182 million in sales is generated by Manitoba’s seed industry and seed contributes $110 million in value added to the economy, creating 1,300 job opportunities
  • Saskatchewan’s pedigreed seed industry creates as many as 9,000 agricultural jobs for the province and is worth an estimated $389 million to the provincial economy

Research & Development

  • The private sector’s investment in research and development has nearly tripled in the last decade from an investment of $33.2 million in 1987 to $92.5 million in 2001
  • Plant breeding delivers results – In the last 50 years a 30 - 60% productivity increase has been realized as a result of genetic improvement made by plant breeders. Since the mid-1970s corn breeding has delivered an average yield increase of one bushel per acre, per year. In the past decade there have also been notable increases in yields particularly in peas (32%), canola (25%) and wheat (22%).

Biotech and Niche Markets

  • Seed is a value-added industry – some types of horticultural seed (petunia) cost more than an ounce of gold
  • By 2007, identity preserved production is expected to increase and range from 20 – 50% of commercial sales of cereal, oilseed and forage crops. Specialty type canola represents 10% of the canola oil market and food grade soybeans account for 70% of soybean exports.

 

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