Following advocacy from Canadian government and industry, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has released a revised quarantine pest list, which no longer includes creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense). This decision will come into effect on September 29, 2023. 

“We are pleased with Vietnam’s decision to remove creeping thistle as a pest of concern,” said Dean Dias, CEO of Cereals Canada. “With creeping thistle on the quarantine pest list, Canadian grain cargoes faced the risk of commercial penalty. This change means that exports of Canadian cereals to Vietnam will be able to resume in bulk shipment for the first time since 2018.” 

Creeping thistle, also known as Canada thistle or field thistle, is a perennial species of flowering plant that can be found across countries in the Northern Hemisphere including Canada, the United States, and Europe. In 2018, Vietnam announced that they would place phytosanitary restrictions on wheat from countries where creeping thistle can be found. 

In 2021, Canadian wheat exports to Vietnam fell to just over 20,000 tonnes from over 200,000 tonnes annually prior to the restriction.  

“Cereals Canada has worked closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to help remove this non-tariff trade barrier,” said Dias. “With this positive development, we look forward to the resumption of regular cereals trade between Canada and Vietnam.” 

(Cereals Canada news release)