Canola, invented by scientists, is Canada’s agricultural success story
Canada will sow 9-million hectares of canola this year and demand for its oil is forecast to grow another 51% by 2021, the most of any edible oil
Winnipeg — In the heart of Canada’s bread basket, a Richardson International processing plant stands as a testament to what may be the country’s most successful agricultural experiment. Farmers across the Prairie provinces are planting record acres of canola, a crop that didn’t exist about four decades ago but now is the nation’s biggest, sown on more land than spring wheat. Richardson was the first company to market canola oil. It has since expanded capacity at factories such as the one in Lethbridge, Alberta, as global demand exploded and Canada became the top exporter of an oilseed used in everything from salad dressing to french fries. Richardson’s facility now spans six square blocks — a warren of crushing machines, conveyor belts, railroad links and grain silos devoted entirely to canola. After a C$120m ($89m) upgrade to expand capacity by 55%, it will be able to process 700,000 tonnes annually, boosting exports of oil and related products, including margarine and buttery popc...
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