Canada is the world’s largest exporter of amber durum wheat. According to the Canadian Grain Commission, durum wheat was introduced into Western Canada in the late 19th Century, but the first variety developed in Canada was not released until 1963. A stem rust epidemic in Western Canada led durum wheat production to surge in the 1960s. Durum wheat was less susceptible to stem rust than bread wheat varieties available at that time.
CWAD has been developed to provide superior pasta quality, requiring high levels of hard, vitreous kernels. CWAD wheat varieties possess the yellow pigment content necessary to produce products with a bright yellow colour and also have strong, elastic gluten characteristics to ensure good cooking characteristics. In the Mediterranean and North African region, amber durum wheat is also used for high-quality couscous as well as for durum bread. Canada Western Amber Durum wheat varieties are grown on five million acres in Western Canada through Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.