Canadian Durum Wheat & Milling Grain

1. What is Canada Western Amber Durum?

CWAD is the class name under which Canadian durum wheat (Triticum durum) is graded and exported. Durum has hard, amber, vitreous kernels with high protein and yellow pigment, which suit semolina milling for pasta and couscous. The CGC grade table for CWAD sets the minimum test weight, hard vitreous kernels and protein, and limits for foreign material, damage and other classes (S1).

2. How are CWAD grades named?

The grades are No. 1 CWAD, No. 2 CWAD, No. 3 CWAD, No. 4 CWAD and No. 5 CWAD (S1). Degree of soundness ranges from "reasonably well matured, reasonably free from damaged kernels" at No. 1 to No. 5, which is reasonably sweet and excluded from higher grades for light weight or damaged kernels (S1). CWAD samples are not graded lower than No. 4 CWAD because of mildew (S1).

3. Which other Canadian milling wheats exist?

Bread-wheat classes such as Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and other western and eastern classes have their own CGC grade tables and are milled for flour rather than semolina. This page covers durum. If you need bread-wheat or blending wheat, name the class and grade in the inquiry so the requirement can be evaluated separately.

4. Which terms appear in durum contracts?

Test weight (kg/hL), hard vitreous kernels (HVK), protein (stated moisture basis), falling number, gluten index or wet gluten, semolina yield, yellow pigment or b* colour, ash, deoxynivalenol (DON), fusarium damage, ergot, sclerotinia, midge, smudge and blackpoint, sprouted kernels, wheats of other classes, foreign material, dockage, straight, tough and damp, crop year, official grade certificate and phytosanitary certificate.

5. Who buys Canadian durum?

Durum and semolina mills, integrated pasta and couscous manufacturers, state grain agencies and tender boards, grain importers and traders, and food manufacturers buying semolina. In the USDA FAS export table for 2024/25 the largest destinations were Algeria, Morocco and Italy, followed by the United States, Japan, Venezuela and Belgium (S3).

6. Which limits define each CWAD grade?

The CGC table gives minimums for test weight and HVK and maximums for foreign material, ergot, sclerotinia, stones, fusarium damage, midge, smudge, sprouted kernels and other wheat classes (S1). The values below are a selection; the official table governs and is revised each crop year.

7. Why do test weight and vitreous kernels matter?

Test weight indicates soundness and milling yield. Hard vitreous kernels are translucent and hard; a low HVK share (more starchy, "piebald" kernels) lowers semolina yield and quality. This is why HVK is a primary grade factor for CWAD with minimums of 80, 60 and 40 percent for the top three grades (S1).

8. Which quality parameters do semolina mills specify?

Mills commonly specify protein on a stated moisture basis, falling number (sprout damage), gluten strength, semolina colour, ash and DON. Only protein for No. 1 CWAD is a grade factor (minimum 9.5 percent) in the CGC table (S1); the others are contract terms checked by laboratory analysis. State the method and moisture basis for each parameter, because results differ by method.

9. Which moisture classes apply to durum?

For CWAD the CGC moisture specifications give straight grade below 14.6 percent, tough at 14.6 to 17.0 percent and damp above 17.0 percent (S2). Contracts may set a lower moisture limit for storage or milling reasons.

10. How are fusarium and mycotoxins handled?

Fusarium damage is a CWAD grade factor, limited to 0.5 percent for No. 1 and No. 2 CWAD and 4.0 percent for No. 5 (S1). Mycotoxin limits such as DON are set by the importing market and by the buyer's own food-safety programme, not by the grade. State the limit, the testing method and whether analysis is required at loading.

11. How does crop year affect durum supply and quality?

Weather changes test weight, vitreousness, sprouting and fusarium from one harvest to the next. The USDA FAS report attributes the 2024/25 export rise to a rebound in production after drought affected the 2023/24 harvest (S3). Buyers state the crop year, may request crop-quality data for that year, and often require a pre-shipment sample.

12. How is durum handled from farm to vessel?

Durum is delivered to country elevators, graded, binned by grade and moved by rail to terminal elevators, where it is cleaned, blended to specification, officially sampled and loaded onto vessels; smaller lots move in containers. Segregation by grade and protein is how exporters meet specifications. Ask the exporter how protein and quality parameters will be controlled for your lot.

13. Which storage and transit risks matter?

Moisture, temperature and insects are the main risks. Dry, cool grain and clean holds or containers reduce heating and insect activity; many destinations also require fumigation or insect-free certification. Confirm which treatment your import authority accepts.

14. How is durum used?

Semolina for dried and fresh pasta and couscous; durum flour for some breads and noodles; bulgur and frike in some markets; and feed use for low-grade durum. Pasta makers prioritise protein, gluten strength and colour; couscous makers may weigh granulation and colour differently. Name the end product in the inquiry.

15. How are export shipments inspected and certified?

The CGC grade table defines each CWAD grade (S1); it does not by itself certify a particular lot. The CGC states that grain exported from Canada in ships must be inspected by the CGC, which issues a Certificate Final for each such export shipment, and that shipments to the United States are exempt from this requirement (S5). For grain not exported by vessel, such as containers, the CGC asks exporters to contact it about available services (S5); under its voluntary Accredited Container Sampler Program, an accredited company takes an official sample and the CGC inspects it and issues an official certificate (S6). Phytosanitary certification is separate and follows the importing country's requirements (S4). Buyers may add independent inspection at loading or discharge and laboratory analysis of contract parameters, which are not grade factors. State the shipment mode, who inspects, where, at whose cost, and whether loading results are final. Confirm the certification route for a given shipment with the exporter and the CGC.

16. Which documents may be required?

Official CGC certificate (a Certificate Final for vessel exports, or a certificate for container lots where official sampling and inspection are arranged; S5, S6), phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, weight certificate, fumigation certificate, quality analysis certificates, bill of lading and commercial invoice, as required by the buyer and destination. The CFIA issues phytosanitary certificates only when required by the importing country (S4). Tender boards often publish their own document lists; attach them to the inquiry.

17. Which destination markets are documented?

In the USDA FAS table (Trade Data Monitor data) Canadian durum exports in 2024/25 totalled 5,798,615 tonnes. The largest destinations were Algeria (1,584,102 t), Morocco (1,290,786 t), Italy (903,257 t), the United States (620,740 t) and Japan (226,602 t) (S3). The report states that exports to Algeria, Morocco and Italy grew from 2.08 to 3.78 million tonnes and made up 65 percent of total durum exports (S3).

18. Which shipment formats are used?

Bulk vessels for large programmes and tenders, and containers (bulk or bagged) for smaller lots and specialty requirements. State the format, quantity per shipment, discharge port and its draft or container-handling limits, and the shipment period.

19. Which commercial terms should be stated?

Incoterms rule and named place, payment instrument, tolerances on quantity, quality claims and arbitration rules, inspection, laycan or shipment period, and demurrage. No price is published here; any price would come from an exporter for a specific grade, quantity, destination and period.

20. What should a durum export inquiry include?

• Class and grade (for example No. 1 CWAD or No. 2 CWAD).
• Protein, falling number, gluten, colour, DON and moisture limits, with methods and basis.
• Destination country and port, quantity per shipment and annual volume.
• Bulk vessel or container, and shipment window.
• Crop year, inspection and document requirements, including tender conditions.

Submit these through the export inquiry.

21. What does PAXOMER need before evaluating a supply arrangement?

Your company, role, mill or plant capacity, annual and per-shipment volume, the quality specification, the destination's import rules and the documents required. PAXOMER reviews whether a suitable exporter channel can be identified. No exporter arrangement for durum is established at present, and PAXOMER does not offer elevator, terminal or freight services.

22. Which related pages should be read next?

• Canadian red and green lentils
• Canadian yellow peas, green peas and chickpeas
• Canadian canola seed, oil and meal

Import and purchasing FAQs

Each answer is general technical information, not a specification or a quotation.

What grades of Canadian durum wheat can be requested?

What does No. 1 CWAD guarantee about protein?

What is the minimum test weight for No. 1 CWAD?

Which countries import the most Canadian durum?

Can durum be shipped in containers?

Does PAXOMER publish durum wheat prices?

Technical References

References below were opened on the access date shown. A source supports only the statement it is cited for. Standards are cited by number and title from public catalogue entries; their full text was not read unless stated.

1. S1. Official Grain Grading Guide, Chapter 4: Wheat — primary grade determination table, Canada Western Amber Durum. Canadian Grain Commission, 2026-08-01. www.canada.ca/en/grain-commission/services/grain-quality/official-grain-grading- (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
   Opened 2026-10-30; grade names, soundness wording and all limits in the CWAD table were read from this page.
2. S2. Official Grain Grading Guide, Chapter 2: Moisture specifications. Canadian Grain Commission, 2026-08-01. www.canada.ca/en/grain-commission/services/grain-quality/official-grain-grading- (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
   Opened 2026-10-30; straight, tough and damp ranges for CWAD.
3. S3. Canada: Grain and Feed Update (Table 5: durum wheat exports, Trade Data Monitor data). USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (GAIN report CA2025-0041), 2025-12-09. apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Grain+ (opens in a new tab) technical literature · accessed 2026-10-30
   Downloaded and read 2026-10-30; cited for the 65 percent increase, total and destination tonnages for 2024/25 and the 65 percent share of Algeria, Morocco and Italy.
4. S4. D-99-06: Policy on the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for export and for re-export. Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 2024-04-22. inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/invasive-pests-and-plants/directives/export (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-30
   Opened 2026-10-30; certificates are issued only where the importing country requires one.
5. S5. Official grain inspection. Canadian Grain Commission, date not stated. grainscanada.gc.ca/en/grain-quality/services-fees/official-grain-inspection/ (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-31
   Opened 2026-10-31; cited for mandatory CGC inspection of grain exported in ships, the Certificate Final, the exemption for shipments to the United States and the contact route for other shipments.
6. S6. Accredited Container Sampler Program (ACSP). Canadian Grain Commission, date not stated. www.grainscanada.gc.ca/en/industry/grain-safety/accredited-certified-programs/ac (opens in a new tab) regulatory · accessed 2026-10-31
   Opened 2026-10-31; cited for the voluntary program under which accredited samplers take official container samples and the CGC issues an official certificate.

Regional production and trade evidence

Government and industry publications cited in Production Regions & Export Markets. Each supports only the statement it is cited for (checked 29–30 October 2026). Naming a company here does not state or imply a relationship with PAXOMER.

1. R63. Canada: Grain and Feed Update, Table 5 durum wheat exports by destination, marketing year 2024/25 (Trade Data Monitor data). USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (GAIN report CA2025-0041, 9 December 2025). apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Grain+ (opens in a new tab) checked 2026-10-30