A high level visit to Beijing next month could prove a catalyst for resolving the "blackleg battle" which threatens to cut Canada's canola exports to China by 70%.

Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper, will travel to China next month to help improve links with links strained by his criticism in his early days in office of Beijing's human rights record.

While the Canola Council of Canada, a trade body, has said it is "hopeful" that Mr Harper will raise the issue of China's curbs on Canadian canola, other members of the farm industry believe the visit will be the focus for a deal.

"There is emerging hope the situation will be successfully resolved and normal export shipping resumed with the visit," the Canadian operation of ProFarmer, the analysis group, said.

Although there has been speculation that Canada may take the dispute to the World Trade Organisation, there was "general hope amongst canola exporters is that a solution will still be found at the political level", ProFarmer added,

Cynics' view 

Beijing's tighter restrictions on canola infected with blackleg disease threatens 70% of Canada's exports of the oilseed to China, the Canola Council believes.

Beijing demanded that, from November 15, crops should be certified free of the fungal ailment, which can kill plants but does not pose as threat to human health.

However, Canada has said that its canola poses no threat to Chinese rapeseed.

Indeed, many observers have speculated that the ban has more to do with protecting its own rapeseed farmers, who are in the middle of harvest, from foreign competition.

"The common trade view is that Chinese restrictions on canola imports are probably more of the country needing to rebalance its own supply-demand situation on oilseeds," ProFarmer said.