Vietnam announced it is taking Canada thistle, also known as creeping thistle, out of its revised quarantine pest list, clearing the way for Canadian wheat exports to enter the country.

The Vietnamese government had a zero tolerance policy in place for creeping thistle since 2018, meaning any Canadian wheat that had it faced commercial penalties, up to a vessel being rejected.

Director of Market Intelligence and Trade Policy with Cereals Canada, Leif Carlson, says it’s a really positive development.

“This is an example of where industry was pushing to have the restriction removed, and also our federal agencies, such as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency who was able to engage with the Vietnam authorities and talk about the science and the risk behind thistle seeds and ultimately having this restriction removed is going to allow Canada to participate in the Vietnam market again.” Carlson explained.

“Anytime that Canada’s able to access a diverse set of markets that’s going to be good for our industry and farmers,” he added.

Carlson added Cereals Canada was one of many within the ag industry which aided the federal government in its advocacy.

The restriction had a profound effect on Canadian exports — before it was implemented Canada shipped 200-thousand tons of wheat annually; afterward the number decreased to 20-thousand tons a year.

When asked whether Canada can reach pre-restriction levels again or even exceed it, Carlson says it depends on market conditions and crop quality.

The restriction will be lifted September 29th.