China agreed on Wednesday to delay introducing stricter rules on shipments of canola from Canada while both countries work to end a months-long trade spat over sales of the oilseed, offering an eleventh hour temporary reprieve for Canada's farmers.

Just a day before the new standards were due to go into force, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Canada would be able to continue with the current canola export regime, while a longer-term solution was worked out.

China is Canada's top export market for the oilseed, and Ottawa has taken an increasingly strong line in talks on a new standard, which industry participants say would significantly raise costs for exporters.

This has been excerpted from the 31 August 2016 edition of Reuters Canada and is available in its entirety at:
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN1160CC