REGINA — Amid recent records for international exports, the province's agricultural manufacturers are generating sustained and significant growth as they create a rising global demand for Saskatchewan-made equipment and technology solutions, according to a Saskatchewan government press release.
While 2022 provincial exports to the United States reached an all-time high of $29.3 billion and total agri-food exports were a record $18.5 billion, shipments by the agricultural implement sector over the past five years have increased in value by 135 per cent from 2018 ($359 million) to 2023 ($843 million). From 2021 to 2022 alone, their value increased by 58 per cent. Saskatchewan's total exports for 2022 were valued at $52.6 billion.
Saskatchewan's agricultural manufacturing sector - which specializes in short-line manufacturing of equipment for precision dryland farming - is well-dispersed between urban and rural centres, with many smaller operations based in communities with populations under 10,000. Many of these manufacturers are participants in major industry events like Canada's Farm Show in Regina in June and Ag In Motion in Langham in July, where the latest agriculture technology is showcased to thousands of producers and international buyers.
"Canada's agricultural manufacturing sector is ingenious and resilient, and our Saskatchewan manufacturers have proven themselves as export powerhouses with significant contributions to producing the highest quality and most sought-out agricultural equipment in the world," Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC) President Donna Boyd said. "AMC members remain focused on moving ahead to promote productivity, ensuring global competitiveness, increasing export opportunities and continuing to invest in the growth of Saskatchewan."
Destinations for Saskatchewan agriculture implements are highly varied, with the U.S. and Australia the largest markets followed by countries such as Lithuania, France, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Bulgaria. Products include equipment designed for a wide range of purposes such as zero-till seeding, spraying and fertilizing, livestock and forage, rock removal, and grain handling, storage and transportation.
