Canada – A Flax Leader
Today, Canada is the world’s leader in the production and export of flax — a position it has held since 1994. In 2014/15, Canada produced about 875,000 mt, and exported about 80% of it, according to Statistics Canada. In 2015/16, Canadian flax production totalled 940,000 mt.
A major Canadian crop, flax travels today to ports alongside wheat, barley, oats and canola. Canadian flax is exported mainly to China, the U.S. and Europe. In 2014/15, Canada shipped 50% of its flax exports to China, 23% to the EU and 21% to the United States.
Solin
Solin, a flax derivative, is a yellow-seeded crop which was introduced to Canadian producers in 1993. Solin has a very different fatty acid profile from flax. Solin varieties have less than 5 per cent alpha-linolenic acid compared to the more than 50 per cent in flax.
In contrast, flax produces a brown seed with high amounts of alpha-linolenic acid, an essential acid which nutritionists recognize as a contributor to good health.
