Freek Jan Koekoek This document gives insight into the production aspects of Bolivian quinoa, trade facts, price development and expectations for the sector’s future. Data is derived from several sources: information from the European market is provided by Eurostat, about the Bolivian sector, the document “Bolivian Quinoa Travels Beyond Borders” by the Bolivian Institute for Foreign Commerce gives … Read more
In the region of Cajamarca in the North-West of Peru, the regional management of Agriculture initiated a program that shall benefit over 10,000 farmers in the region. The “Improving the Competitiveness of Andean Crops Supply Chains” is a program that aims at converting Cajamarca into one of the main production regions of the country. With … Read more
In context of his PhD thesis, Enrico Avitabile in collaboration with the FAO publishes the following infographic which visualizes the effects of the quinoa boom on family farmers in the Bolivian Southern Altiplano. http://www.fao.org/resources/infographics/infographics-details/en/c/225070/ The conclusions that can be drawn from the 100 surveys with farmers in the producing area around the salt flats in … Read more
Dutch Tros Radar investigates residue levels in quinoa brands On 19 May 2014, the Dutch television programme Tros Radar investigates pesticide residues in quinoa. Five Dutch quinoa brands were tested, of which residues were found in three. Two of these actually fell within the very strict limit of the European organic industry, but nevertheless the … Read more
Together with India, other countries in the lower latitudes start cultivating quinoa as well. Day length and soil properties seem to be appropriate but researchers are still experimenting about the right sowing date and irrigation methods. In 2008, Mr Hassan Munir started experiments on fields in Pakistan (http://www.shahzadbasra.com/quinoa/) and Morocco is busy already since 1999 … Read more
After a first round with quinoa experts in the end of January, CBI’s quinoa scenario planning process found its closure in an international expert meeting in Nürnberg, Germany. In the context of the organic trade fair Biofach, quinoa exporters from Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, European importers, researchers, scientists and many other key actors were … Read more
Despite or because of the latest price shocks, trends and rumors in the international quinoa market in 2013 and the beginning of 2014, the Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) has invited several experts within that field to analyze the current situation and discuss possible future scenarios for the sector. Representatives of … Read more
The year 2014 started without vegetable protein. Dutch media announce on the 6th January what many traders claim to have foreseen for the international quinoa trade: Due to a worldwide over-demand for the golden grain, quinoa is scarce and supermarket shelves remain empty. Well-established companies like Lassie and new-comers like NatureCrops are out of stock … Read more
What is the current situation about the possibilities of growing quinoa in the Netherlands? And what are the drawbacks? Have a look at the recently published article “Quinoa made in the Netherlands” on NOS OP 3. What is your opinion about this?
Is the Quinoa’s future threatened? In Bolivia, prices only know their way up and big companies are entering the market and push away small-scale farmers. Pedro Claver, quinoa production manager at FAUTAPO Bolivia gives an insight about the happenings in Bolivia: “Interview PC”