Adedokun Waliyu 
Canada announced a 10% tariff on imports of canned vegetables on Friday, saying the measure, which excludes the United States, was aimed at addressing challenges facing its domestic producers.
The tariff, which takes effect on Friday for a maximum of 200 days, will also not apply to canned vegetables from Mexico, Israel, Chile and developing countries due to Canadian trade obligations, Canada’s finance ministry added.
The ministry said in a statement that the measure was provisional while it waited for the Canadian International Trade Tribunal to complete an inquiry to study whether increased imports of canned vegetables were harming domestic processors.
The tribunal is expected to conclude its work by September 9 and the tariff would be stopped if it shows Canadian vegetable producers were not adversely impacted by canned imports.
“With the imposition of this provisional safeguard measure, our priority remains a balanced approach that not only provides relief to our canned vegetables sector but also protects food security and affordability for Canadians,” Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said in the statement.
