The announcement highlights the Government's partnership with the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers in marketing cold-water shrimp products to international markets, specifically in China and Russia.
"The Government of Canada's top priority remains the economy, and Canada's food industry plays an important role in creating jobs and keeping our economy strong," said Peter Penashue, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada.
"Canadian prawns harvested from the clean, pristine waters of Canada represent one of the most valuable commercial fisheries in the world and are essential to Canada's long-standing international reputation as a producer of premium quality seafood."
This AgriMarketing investment of C$165,000 will help the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers create new marketing materials that will promote Canada's premium quality natural wild shrimp to markets with significant growth potential. The promotional activities funded by the Government's investment will include providing foreign retail outlets with recipe booklets, posters and brochures that highlight the benefits of buying Canadian shrimp harvested from well-managed, sustainable fisheries governed by responsible environmental stewardship practices.
"Our marketing partnership with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has helped us to re-position our product in the extremely competitive Chinese market," stated Bruce Chapman, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers. "As a result, we have been able to secure higher prices for our products, to the direct benefit of hundreds of people in rural Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Nunavut."
In 2011, Canada exported C$340 million worth of cold-water shrimp to over 30 different countries. Cold-water shrimp's top three export markets were the European Union (C$139 million), Russia (C$75 million) and China (C$40 million).
Through the AgriMarketing Programme under Growing Forward, the Government of Canada is investing C$88 million to help industry implement long-term international strategies, including international market development, industry-to-industry trade advocacy, and consumer awareness and branding activities.
This announcement is another example of what is being done to enhance competitiveness for Canadian agricultural exports. Under the Harper Government, Canada has achieved six new free trade agreements that have opened the doors of diverse international markets to Canadian agricultural products. In fact, the Government of Canada has also identified market development as a priority under Growing Forward 2.
