Quinoa, also known as the ‘lost crop’ of the Incas, has been cultivated across the South American Andes for centuries. Bolivia and Peru are amongst the major producers of this ancient grain, and whilst increased demand in the Western world have somewhat enriched the local farmers, on the other hand what used to be staple food of the region is now too expensive for a good part of the population. As eco18 reports quinoa prices have almost tripled over the past five years and in that time consumption in Bolivia of this staple food fell by 34% according to the country’s agricultural ministry. Thanks to the discovery and wise marketing of quinoa’s ‘superfood’ properties, this grain has enjoyed a growing demand for quinoa on a global scale. As the NY Times put it earlier this year, when NASA scientists were searching decades ago for an ideal food for long-term human space missions, they came across this Andean plant. With an exceptional balance of amino acids, quinoa, they declared is virtually unrivaled in the plant or animal kingdom for its life-sustaining nutrients. Not just Europe and the USA, Australia is also increasing its imports of quinoa as foodnews.co.nz reports: supermarkets in Australia are struggling to cope with demand… Sales of quinoa increased by almost 60 per cent at Coles after it featured on an episode of Masterchef Australia; and have more than doubled at Woolworths over the past year. However interest in the grain is now so high, that supermarkets are finding it difficult to source certain varieties. These include black and red quinoa, both of which are in short supply due to cold weather affecting crops in Bolivia and Peru.
food insider 