For Immediate Release
SASKATOON, SK — [September 29, 2025] — The Wheat Growers Association (WGA) is welcoming the new Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CI-CEPA), calling it a critical step toward diversifying Canada’s export markets.
“The CI-CEPA is a win for Western Canadian farmers,” said Gunter Jochum, President of the WGA. “Indonesia’s growing demand for high-quality grains opens the door for more Canadian exports, supports jobs in rural communities, and strengthens Canada’s position as a reliable global supplier. Market diversification is essential to protecting farmers from disruptions and keeping our sector resilient.”
The deal is expected to eliminate or reduce tariffs on key Canadian grains, opening access to a market that imports over 10 million tonnes of wheat annually.
However, the Wheat Growers warn that diversification cannot replace strong relationships with Canada’s largest trading partners. Ongoing tariffs and non-tariff barriers from China and the United States continue to cost farmers billions in lost revenue, depress prices, and undermine farm incomes.
“This government can celebrate CI-CEPA, but farmers are still paying the price for unresolved disputes with China and the U.S.,” Jochum added. “Canada needs urgent, high-level diplomacy to lift tariffs on canola and peas, address U.S. barriers, and restore full market access. Diversification is smart, but ignoring our core markets risks long-term harm to Canadian agriculture.”
The WGA is calling on Ottawa to make resolving these trade disputes a top priority, alongside celebrating new agreements, so Canadian farmers can compete — and more importantly win — in every market.
Media Contact:
Darcy Pawlik
Executive Director, Wheat Growers Association
Email: dpawlik@wheatgrowers.ca
Phone: (306) 361-5667
About the Wheat Growers
Founded in 1970, the Wheat Growers is a voluntary farmer-run advocacy organization dedicated to developing public policy solutions that strengthen the profitability and sustainability of farming, and the agricultural industry as a whole.
For more information please visit: wheatgrowers.ca. Click here to see who is helping to advocate for grain farmers.