Two of the world’s leading grain exporters “are racing to become mass producers” of gluten-free quinoa, native to South America and the world’s newest super food, says Reuters. Important for Australia is that quinoa flourishes in harsh climates such as its home territory in the Andes. Consumer demand for quinoa is high and so are prices for the high-protein grain. Australian plant breeders say they are three years away from a strain that will produce good yields and quality in a hot climate. U.S. growers also are working on varieties that will grow at lower altitudes.
In Bolivia, the private Institute of External Trade plans to market a genetically unique and premium-priced “Quinoa Real” brand to differentiate its quinoa from competitors. A Peruvian grower of quinoa says she and her neighbors will use mechanized equipment to boost their production while getting it certified as organic to sell for a higher price, says Reuters.
FERN and Harper’s published “The Quinoa Quarrel” last year, an examination of the intellectual property battle over the ancient seed and its impact on the Andean farmers who regard quinoa as their patrimony.