Canada is a Leader in Global Oat Markets and is the:
Largest oat product exporter
Largest raw oat exporter
2nd largest global oat area
2nd largest global oat producer
2nd largest oat miller
Oats – A Canadian Success Story!
Oats, a small-grain cereal, were brought to Canada in the early 17th century by European settlers. Oats were an important livestock feed crop for the early settlers on the Prairies, who used horses as the main source of power for farming and transportation. Over the years, oats have become an important crop worldwide.
Most oats are grown on family farms in Canada, many of which are multi-generational operations with strong ties to the land.
Today, Canada is a major supplier of oats, making up the majority of world oat exports. Canada’s top-quality oats are highly prized in domestic and international markets for their colour, weight and health benefits.
Although livestock consumption makes up the bulk of oat use globally, the human food market for oats continues to grow as consumers increasingly recognize the nutritional benefits of whole grains. The majority of Canadian oats are used for human consumption.
Oat Stats
- Canada’s oat sector has grown to an $8 billion industry.
- Saskatchewan typically produces more than 50% of Canadian oats each year making Saskatchewan the largest oat producing region in the world.
- The biggest export markets are the United States, Mexico, and Japan.
- Canada has about 80-90% of the Mexican oat market share and Canada, through marketing funded by growers and the Government of Canada’s Agri-Marketing Program, have been able to increase exports to Mexico by over 3 times between 2015 and 2020!
- Canada is the largest exporter of oats in Japan with over 40% of the market share.
