Viterra employee Emily Fretwell probes the first 2024-25 harvest delivery to Wolseley, South Australia, a load of canola in November. Photo: Viterra

AUSTRALIA exported 906,666 tonnes of canola in March, up 73 percent from 524,845t in February, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Belgium on 244,861t was the biggest customer for March-shipped canola, followed by Germany on 194,171t, The Netherlands on 118,690t, and the United Arab Emirates on 95,559t.

Australia’s canola-shipping year starts in October, and for the first half of 2024-25, Belgium on 1,039,188t was also the leading destination for exports.

Close behind for the half was Germany on 953,482t, followed by Pakistan on 341,550t.

The March 2025 total was well ahead of the 520,450t exported in March 2024, around the level that Lachstock Consulting’s most recent report on vessel line-ups dated April 29 expected to see in April 2025 shipments.

The larger volume exported in March this year as compared with March 2024 in part reflects the much better season in New South Wales, which has allowed significant shipments out of eastern as well as Western Australian ports.