With the data now in for all of 2025, we can take a look at the annual export performance of Alberta’s three largest crops (wheat, canola and barley).

Wheat

The dollar value of Alberta’s international wheat exports last year was the second highest on record at $3.2 billion. Driven by a record wheat crop and sustained demand for high-quality Canadian wheat, annual sales rose by 14% in 2025.

Overall, Alberta’s wheat exports are highly diversified with sales to 67 different countries last year and none of them accounting for more than 11% of total sales.

Despite Chinese tariffs on other Canadian agricultural products (see below), China was the largest buyer of Alberta wheat followed by the U.S. and Indonesia.

Canola

The big issue faced by Albera canola growers has been the imposition of punishing Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola seed and oil. The tariffs, combined with increased domestic demand driven by increased processing capacity, helped push international sales down last year to their lowest level since 2019.

At $3.5 billion, 2025 sales were 19% lower than in 2024. Exports to China dropped off dramatically, falling by 59% from $1.6 billion in 2024 to $638 million in 2025. Despite this, China remained Alberta’s second largest customer at 18% of total sales (down from 37% in 2024). Lower (but still significant) Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola scheduled to take effect March 1 should see sales to China improve in 2026. China has agreed to remove its 25% tariff on canola meal and reduce its tariff on canola seed from 75.8% to 15%. The 100% tariff on canola oil remains in place.

The U.S. is the largest buyer of Alberta canola products at 42% of total sales last year, but this was down from 51% in 2024 with the value of annual sales to the U.S. 34% lower in 2025. Uncertainty related to potential U.S. tariffs and biofuel policy spooked American buyers and helps explain the pullback.

Fortunately, Alberta exporters adapted quickly and increased sales to countries other than the U.S. and China by 171% (from $511 million to $1.4 billion). Exports jumped across a wide range of countries including Japan, Mexico, France, Spain, South Korea, Bulgaria, Belgium, Netherlands, UAE, and Bangladesh.

Barley and malt

Somewhat weaker prices help account for an 11% drop in the value of Alberta’s barley and malt exports last year, which went from $624 million to $557 million. China was the largest buyer at 38% of the total followed by Japan at 28% and the U.S. at 24%.

Answer to the previous trivia question: The Alberta Stock Exchange closed on November 29, 1999. It merged into the Canadian Venture Exchange with the Vancouver Stock Exchange and later the Winnipeg Stock Exchange.

Today’s trivia question: When do the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games start?