Edible oil · importers
Canada ranks thirteenth of 96 at $2.6B in the fats and oils chapter, a country that grows large oilseed crops yet still imports oils.
| Market | HS 15 imports |
|---|---|
| United States | $17.2B |
| India | $16.8B |
| China | $12.6B |
| Netherlands | $8.6B |
| Italy | $7.0B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 15 (animal or vegetable fats and oils). Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Turkey is above at $2.9B and Singapore below at $2.4B. Canada’s 1.8% share of reported world imports is modest against the leaders. The chapter is 0.5% of its $560.0B imports and ranks 41st among its import chapters.
Canada is a major crusher of domestic oilseeds, but it still buys oils it does not make at scale, such as palm and olive oil, and specialty fats for food manufacturers. Coastal buyers can also find it cheaper to bring in oil by sea than to move product across the country. The mix of vegetable and tropical oils therefore differs from what the domestic crop supplies.
Ask the importer which oils it needs and why, because a supplier of palm-based ingredients faces different competition from an olive-oil bottler. Long cold winters also affect how some oils behave in storage and transit, so ask about temperature requirements and whether the buyer has heated tanks or needs product that stays fluid in the cold.
The USA, China, Mexico and Germany lead Canada’s overall source list, which covers all goods and highlights how much trade flows across the southern border. Some oil may arrive by rail tanker from US sources. Overseas exporters should ask how a buyer decides between rail deliveries and ocean cargoes, and confirm current labelling, including bilingual requirements, with the authorities.
Chapter 15 includes animal fats as well as vegetable oils, so the $2.6B overstates edible oil alone.
Look up the oil headings in customs shipment records for consignee names and weights. Agree Incoterm, currency, payment terms and port, then approach shortlisted companies through this site’s free marketplace.
Thirteenth of 96 markets at $2.6B in 2024, a 1.8% share of reported world imports.
To obtain tropical oils and specialty fats it does not produce at scale, and to supply coastal buyers.
No. The USA, China, Mexico and Germany lead across all goods.
Search oil-heading shipment data by consignee and weight.
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