YORKTON — Louis Dreyfus Company is expanding its canola crushing facility at Yorkton, Sask.
The company says crush capacity at the facility will increase by more than 100 percent to two million tonnes.
Louis Dreyfus opened its Yorkton facility in 2009 and currently employs approximately 120 people.
Construction of the additional canola crushing line is expected to begin later this year.
“This investment supports the group’s strategic growth plans by reinforcing core merchandizing activities, in this case with additional capacity to originate and process Canadian canola seeds to provide nourishment for people and livestock,” said Michael Gelchie, the company’s chief executive officer.
“It also positions LDC as a strategic feedstock provider to renewable energy producers and accelerates our contribution to a global energy transition that we are excited to be a part of.”
In a news release, the Saskatchewan government said the Louis Dreyfus expansion puts the province closer to meeting several other key goals outlined in Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan.
Goals in the province’s plan include increasing the value of Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports to $20 billion and increasing value-added revenue in the province’s ag sector to $10 billion.
“This major investment by LDC is good news for Saskatchewan canola growers and good news for workers and the economy in Yorkton and right across the province,” said Jeremy Harrison, the province’s minister of trade and export development.
“This expansion brings Saskatchewan even closer to several of the 2030 Growth Plan goals, including the ambitious goal of crushing 75 percent of the canola produced in the province.” Canola oil and canola seed were among Saskatchewan’s top three agri-food exports in 2022, with a value of $3.5 billion and $2.7 billion, respectively.
