Canada and Pakistan have signed a new agreement establishing predictable phytosanitary conditions for Canadian canola exports, providing greater certainty for shipments into the important South Asian market.
The protocol was signed Monday in Islamabad by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, during Anand’s first official visit to Pakistan.
The agreement sets plant-health requirements for Canadian canola intended for food, livestock feed and processing. Phytosanitary rules are designed to prevent the international movement of plant pests and diseases, with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency responsible for certifying that exports meet the importing country’s official requirements.
A federal government release said Canadian and Pakistani authorities will also examine opportunities for technical cooperation and capacity building involving food safety, agricultural trade and sanitary and phytosanitary regulations.
The protocol builds on an agreement reached by the two countries in late 2025 to facilitate Canadian canola shipments. That arrangement led to the first shipment under the renewed trade relationship arriving at the Port of Karachi in January of this year.
Pakistan has historically been a significant but variable market for Canadian canola seed. Canada exported 165,128 tonnes to Pakistan in 2025, valued at about C$107 million. Shipments have accelerated this year, reaching 470,656 tonnes from January through May 2026, making Pakistan one of Canada’s leading canola destinations during that period.
