Thank you for the question.
Restrictions on Canada's two largest exporters of canola seed began on March 6, 2019. In 2018, we exported 2.8 billion dollars' worth of canola. After the restrictions, we were exporting $800 million, so it was a $2 billion loss in exports over a one-year period. It is estimated that the economic impact to Canada was between $1.54 billion and $2.35 billion in 2021 as a result of that economic loss.
Since market access was re-established for the two largest exporters, 2023 was actually our largest year ever of exporting canola seed to China. As Brian said, China imports approximately 60% of the world's oilseed, so there's no getting away from their buying capacity, as well as their domestic crushing capacity. They have the ability to crush a lot of oilseed.
We have recovered. However, farmers certainly felt the acute economic impacts of losing our second-largest market.