Sector Trend Analysis – Trade Overview – Gulf Cooperation Council

Global trade overview of agri-food and seafood

In 2024, global agri-food and seafood imports reached Can$2,7 trillion, growing 5.4% annually since 2020. The U.S. was the world's largest importer, accounting for Can$336.7 billion, growing 9.8% annually with a market share of 12.3%. After the U.S., China (10.8%), Germany (6.6%), and the Netherlands (4.4%) make up the largest agri-food and seafood import markets.

Gulf Cooperation Council agri-food and seafood import market

In 2024, GCC agri-food and seafood imports reached Can$83.5 billion, growing 6.7% annually since 2020. India was the top supplier, representing 12.6% of imports, and growing by 12.9% annually. Brazil followed with 11.0% share and growing by 21.1%, followed by the United States (U.S.) (5.7% share) and Netherlands (7.8%).

Description of above image

Country	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
India	6.5	6.8	8.8	9.3	10.5
Brazil	4.3	4.7	7.0	7.8	9.2
United States	3.7	3.9	4.7	4.6	4.8
Netherlands	2.5	2.2	2.9	3.3	3.4
Saudi Arabia	2.7	2.7	3.1	3.5	3.3

Leading GCC import categories in 2024 were milled rice, cane sugar, food preparations, and frozen poultry offal. Oilcake, coffee, cane sugar, and french fries saw sizable growth in sales, with most other catetogies increasing sales.

Description of above image

Category	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Milled rice	3.5	2.6	3.4	4.0	4.5
Cane sugar	1.0	1.1	1.8	1.8	2.9
Food preparations, nowhere else specified	1.6	1.8	2.1	2.3	2.4
Frozen edible poultry offal	1.2	1.5	2.2	2.0	2.3
Frozen beef	0.9	1.1	1.4	1.7	2.3

In 2024, India, Brazil, and the U.S. were the leading suppliers of agrifood and seafood products to GCC, representing a combined 29.3% of total imports.

Canada's performance

GCC agri-food and seafood imports from Canada totaled Can$987 million in 2024, falling 2.9% annually since 2020, mainly due to falling imports of canola seeds from Canada. Most top ten imports from Canada have grown by double digits, with soybean oil surging 77.9% annually since 2020, followed by kidney beans (48.0%), French fries (24.6%), food preparations (20.3%), and durum wheat (11.7%). GCC imports from Canada are concentrated in commodies, making up the top five categories and representing almost 72% of all imports.

Description of above image

Category	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Lentils	215.4	241	292.4	192.3	246.9
Canola seeds	606.3	597.8	50.1	192.9	229.4
Wheat and meslin	86.8	74.3	97.9	144.3	134.9
Durum wheat	32.8	35.2	53.3	39.9	61.6
Dried, shelled peas	19.4	17.1	20.5	16.6	34.8

Canada's agri-food and seafood exports to GCC totaled Can$987.0 million in 2024, falling 2.9% annually since 2020. Saskatchewan is the leading provincial exporter to GCC with a 50.9% share of the market, followed by Alberta (17.2%), Ontario (11.5%), and Manitoba (7.5%). Since 2020, the fastest growing provincial exporters to the GCC have been Nova Scotia, growing 53.2% annually, followed by Ontario (23.8%), New Brunswick (24.0%), and British Columbia (16.6%).

For more information

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service:

International Trade Commissioners can provide Canadian industry with on-the-ground expertise regarding market potential, current conditions and local business contacts, and are an excellent point of contact for export advice.

Find a Trade Commissioner

More agri-food market intelligence:

Agri-food market intelligence service
Canadian agri-food and seafood businesses can take advantage of a customized service of reports and analysis, and join our email subscription service to have the latest reports delivered directly to their inbox.

More on Canada's agriculture and agri-food sectors:

Canada's agriculture sectors
Information on the agriculture industry by sector. Data on international markets. Initiatives to support awareness of the industry in Canada. How the department engages with the industry.

Resources

• Global Trade Tracker, 2025

Sector Trend Analysis – Trade Overview – Gulf Cooperation Council
Global Analysis Report

Prepared by: Kris Clipsham, Market Analyst

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (2025).

Photo credits
All photographs reproduced in this publication are used by permission of the rights holders.
All images, unless otherwise noted, are copyright His Majesty the King in Right of Canada.

To join our distribution list or to suggest additional report topics or markets, please contact:

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Analysis
1341 Baseline Rd, Tower 5, 3rd floor
Ottawa ON  K1A 0C5
Canada
Email: aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca

The Government of Canada has prepared this report based on primary and secondary sources of information. Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) assumes no liability for any actions taken based on the information contained herein.

Reproduction or redistribution of this document, in whole or in part, must include acknowledgement of agriculture and agri-food Canada as the owner of the copyright in the document, through a reference citing AAFC, the title of the document and the year. Where the reproduction or redistribution includes data from this document, it must also include an acknowledgement of the specific data source(s), as noted in this document.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides this document and other report services to agriculture and food industry clients free of charge.