OTTAWA (Reuters) -Scott Moe, premier of the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan, said on Thursday that he would travel to China soon for talks on persuading Beijing to drop its new tariffs on canola.

China hit Canadian canola seed imports with preliminary 75.8% duties last week following an anti-dumping investigation, escalating a year-long trade dispute. China is by far Canada's biggest canola seed market.

Canada exported almost C$5 billion ($3.63 billion) of canola products to China in 2024, about 80% of which was seed, and the steep duties would likely all but end those Chinese imports if they are maintained.

"Myself will be in China in the next couple of weeks with potentially another opportunity for engagement before the end of the calendar year," Moe told a televised news conference after a meeting with industry officials and federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald.

"(We will) work alongside our federal government to ensure that we are advocating and advancing to ultimately ... find the resolution to this trade challenge."

Moe reiterated a call for federal aid for the industry. Prime Minister Mark Carney last week said Ottawa was focusing on a series of supports but did not give specific details.