Saskatchewan, Ukraine and canola: friends and competitors

Like Saskatchewan, Ukraine is a major producer and exporter of canola. In spite of the ongoing war in the Ukraine, according to a Western Producer article, Ukrainian farmers managed to produce 3.42 million tonnes of canola in 2024.  

A Ukrainian canola researcher, Dr. Petro Vyshnivskyi, was in Saskatoon, SK as a guest speaker on December 3, 2024, the first day of Canola Week. He is a professor in the Department of Plant Science at the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, and Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Laboratory of Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products.  

Vyshnivskyi’s scientific interests include cruciferous oilseeds [spring and winter rape, types of mustard, сamelina, and cruciferous crops. His research includes the study of influence of various factors (abiotic and biotic) on the characteristics and indicators of growth, development and formation of oilseeds productivity.  

Vyshnivskyi says due to its favorable pricing, canola is the primary source of income for many Ukrainian farmers. Almost all the canola produced in the country is exported to produce edible oil and biodiesel (sunflower oil is predominantly used as a source of domestic vegetable oil). 

The war has affected every industry in Ukraine, including agriculture. For example, most of the canola farms are in the eastern and southern provinces, which are currently under attack, so many farmers have relocated to central areas of the country to continue their activities.  

Despite the challenges, farmers managed to increase production, and the acreage has remained largely the same.  

“Before the war, they were producing 2.5 tons per hectare; now, they are able to produce between three and five tons per hectare,” Vyshnivskyi says, noting that along with a favorable climate this year, advancements in seed breeding technology played a crucial role. 

The war has introduced other challenges too: the research budget has decreased dramatically; the unstable electrical grid has led to power outages, causing damage to laboratory equipment; and attacks have disrupted operations, at times forcing researchers to seek shelter in bunkers.  

Ironically, the war has also led to a few unexpected opportunities; for example, some researchers are studying the use of canola for phytoremediation of land contaminated with heavy metals because of the war.  

Canada and the Ukraine have long been competitors in the global canola market, but Vyshnivskyi, also sees the two countries as collaborators, saying he has “a strong interest” in partnering with Canadian researchers.  

Canola Week is a merger of Keith Downey’s Canola Industry Meeting (est. 1970), Wilf Keller’s Canola Innovation Day (est. 2003), and the Canola Council of Canada’s Canola Discovery Forum (est. 2013).  

Effect of heavy metals on soil and crop pollution in Ukraine – a review

Photo credit: Jay Whetter, Canola Council.

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