WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA — Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has removed creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) from its quarantine pest list, providing an expected boost to Canada’s grain exports, according to industry association Cereals Canada.
The Canadian government and cereals industry had advocated for the removal of the restriction, which will take effect Sept. 29.
Creeping thistle, also known as Canada thistle or field thistle, is a perennial species of flowering plant that can be found across countries in the Northern Hemisphere including Canada, the United States, and Europe.
In 2018, Vietnam said it would place phytosanitary restrictions on wheat from countries where creeping thistle can be found. Canadian wheat exports to Vietnam in 2021 fell to just over 20,000 tonnes from over 200,000 tonnes annually prior to the restriction.
“We are pleased with Vietnam’s decision to remove creeping thistle as a pest of concern,” said Dean Dias, chief executive officer of Cereals Canada, the industry association based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “With creeping thistle on the quarantine pest list, Canadian grain cargoes faced the risk of commercial penalty. This change means that exports of Canadian cereals to Vietnam will be able to resume in bulk shipment for the first time since 2018.”
