Pacific Coast breaks ground on new US canola plant

Pacific Coast Canola, a subsidiary of Canadian food processing company Legumex Walker, has broken ground on a $109m canola oilseed processing plant in Warden, Washington, US.

The facility, which will be the Legumex Walker’s first in the US, will produce expeller-pressed canola oil and high-quality canola meal and have an operating capacity of 1,100mt of canola seed a day.

The plant, which is expected to be completed and fully operational by late 2012 or early 2013, is set to produce 142,500mt of canola oil and 227,000mt of canola meal yearly.

According to the company, the new plant could create annual demand for as much as $200m in new canola seed purchases.

Pacific Coast Canola is 85% owned by Legumex Walker and 15% by Glencore Grain Investment.