Saskatchewan Exports to France, UK and Netherlands Nearly $1.2 Billion in 2023 | News and Media

Released on September 24, 2024

Exports to the Three Countries Increased by 34.4 Per Cent Compared to 2022 

Saskatchewan’s trade relationship with the United Kingdom (UK), France and the Netherlands continued to strengthen in 2023. Data from Statistics Canada shows that the combined total value of exports for these three major nations totaled nearly $1.2 billion.

The main driver of these exports was uranium, which accounted for 87.3 per cent of exports to the Netherlands, 70.8 per cent of exports to the UK, and 47.3 per cent of exports to France. Another 25.6 per cent of exports to France came from uranium ore and concentrates.

From January to July 2024, Saskatchewan’s total exports to the Netherlands were $567.6 million, a 119.6 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023. This increase is primarily due to a 143.5 per cent increase in the value of Saskatchewan uranium exports to the Netherlands.

“Saskatchewan’s trade and investment offices in London and Germany have made tremendous progress forging new trade relationships in Europe, and we are seeing that work paying off with increased bi-lateral collaboration and record export numbers,” Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “Our government will continue working alongside our producers to promote Saskatchewan products to the world, while growing our economy and creating new jobs for our strong and vibrant communities.” 

All three of these countries saw significant export gains in 2023 compared to 2022. Last year, Saskatchewan exported about $220.5 million of goods to France, which is a 68.7 per cent increase compared to 2022. Exports to the UK totaled $557.2 million in 2023, which is a 43.5 per cent increase from 2022, and exports to the Netherlands totaled $414.1 million, a 12.6 per cent increase from 2022.

Agri-food also saw strong growth in these countries. In 2023, Saskatchewan was France’s largest supplier of lentils, with the total value of lentil exports reaching $24.2 million, a 44.3 per cent increase from 2022. Saskatchewan was also one of the Netherland’s top suppliers of mustard seeds, exporting about $7.9 million which is a 66.5 per cent increase from 2022. In the UK, Saskatchewan exported around $96.5 million worth of non-durum wheat, an increase of 5.3 per cent from 2022. Other top exports to these countries included chickpeas, canola seed, flaxseed and potash.

In April of this year, Minister Harrison and French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness, Francophonie, and French Nationals Abroad Franck Riester signed a new Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore, develop and cooperate on new projects related to strategic mineral resources. The LOI will focus on the regions’ shared goals of improving supply chain security and sustainability, and research and development for critical minerals. 

The Government of Saskatchewan recently unveiled its new Securing the Next Decade of Growth – Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy. This strategy combined with Saskatchewan’s trade and investment website, InvestSK.ca, contains helpful information for potential markets and solidifies the province as the best place to do business in Canada. 

For more information visit investSK.ca.

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