Benefits of trading quinoa
Benefits to Canada
Due to the organic and health food trend in developed countries, more research is beginning to be done in regards to the crop and the unique beneficial values it holds (Bhargava, A. & Srivastava, S. 2013 p.3). In Canada quinoa was successfully grown in Alberta in the late 1980s/ early 1990s. This resulted in research being done at the Crop Diversification Centre South to investigate optimal places in Canada for the growth of quinoa. (Bhargava, A. & Srivastava, S. 2013 p. 42). It was seen that due to similarities in climate quinoa is best suited to grow in northeastern Saskatchewan but can also be grown in Alberta. Today this is where quinoa is currently grown in Canada (Bhargava, A. & Srivastava, S. 2013 p.42).
With this introduction of a new crop into Canada farmers can enter a niche market and provide food not only domestically but have the opportunity to export their products. In an issue of grain news the NorQuin Company, that has the potential to ship quinoa to Nepal, is seeking more growers to meet the ongoing demand of quinoa. Currently the NorQuin Company has production on 5200 acres across the Prairie Provinces and is continuing expansion in the coming years (NorQuin, 2013). This is an ideal opportunity for farmer’s who are seeking to expand their crops and be part of a growing market year after year. Exporting quinoa as a finished product would expand the growing market for quinoa and enable farmers with land unfavourable for other crops or, interested in adding a new crop to their crop rotation to grow quinoa.
In the short term selling finished products to Nepal will benefit the Canadian farmers who are producing the crop. When looking into the future the most useful way to help the Nepalese people is to see the production of quinoa domestically in the country, thus reducing transportation costs and allowing economic opportunities to the local people. When this time comes the innovation and advancement of the quinoa seed is where Canada will play the biggest role. With the ability to provide new and improved seeds targeted for the growing conditions in Nepal, the farmers would benefit from higher yields and healthier plants.
With this introduction of a new crop into Canada farmers can enter a niche market and provide food not only domestically but have the opportunity to export their products. In an issue of grain news the NorQuin Company, that has the potential to ship quinoa to Nepal, is seeking more growers to meet the ongoing demand of quinoa. Currently the NorQuin Company has production on 5200 acres across the Prairie Provinces and is continuing expansion in the coming years (NorQuin, 2013). This is an ideal opportunity for farmer’s who are seeking to expand their crops and be part of a growing market year after year. Exporting quinoa as a finished product would expand the growing market for quinoa and enable farmers with land unfavourable for other crops or, interested in adding a new crop to their crop rotation to grow quinoa.
In the short term selling finished products to Nepal will benefit the Canadian farmers who are producing the crop. When looking into the future the most useful way to help the Nepalese people is to see the production of quinoa domestically in the country, thus reducing transportation costs and allowing economic opportunities to the local people. When this time comes the innovation and advancement of the quinoa seed is where Canada will play the biggest role. With the ability to provide new and improved seeds targeted for the growing conditions in Nepal, the farmers would benefit from higher yields and healthier plants.
Benefits to Nepal
The main benefit of quinoa relates to the Nepalese people whom many suffer from malnutrition. Quinoa provides an array of important nutrients that are shown to have a higher nutritive value than many cereal grains (Bhargava, A & Srivastava, S, 2013, p. 4). As cereal grains are highly consumed throughout Nepal, quinoa would offer an almost perfect substitution to readily consumed products with the added benefits of higher protein, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamin and mineral contents (Vega-Galez, A., et al, p. 2543-2544). With over 80% of Nepalese practicing Hinduism (CIA World Factbook, 2015) the demand for meat free diets is high, as they do not consume pork, beef, and sometimes chicken. Quinoa offers a high protein substitution and combined with other cereals has the potential to replace meat in the diet (Vega-Galvez, A., et al., p. 2546).
The second benefit is the versatility of the quinoa seed. The seed can be consumed as is, ground into flour, or used as an ingredient in various types of food products (NorQuin, 2013). Replacing other grains with quinoa in an everyday diet would improve health and malnutrition. Hot breakfast cereal, infant cereal food, flour, popped quinoa and malt beverages are just a few examples of how quinoa can be used in the everyday life of the Nepalese people (Bhargava, A., & Srivastava, S., 2013 p. 7-8).
On the contrary, introducing a finished more costly product into the market creates some limitations to those people who cannot access the major centers where the supermarkets are located. The people living in the larger urban centers where these stores are located may not be the ones suffering the most from malnutrition and therefore not providing for those in the most need. As the product becomes more familiar and even grown domestically the benefits to the poorer more isolated people will be seen.
The second benefit is the versatility of the quinoa seed. The seed can be consumed as is, ground into flour, or used as an ingredient in various types of food products (NorQuin, 2013). Replacing other grains with quinoa in an everyday diet would improve health and malnutrition. Hot breakfast cereal, infant cereal food, flour, popped quinoa and malt beverages are just a few examples of how quinoa can be used in the everyday life of the Nepalese people (Bhargava, A., & Srivastava, S., 2013 p. 7-8).
On the contrary, introducing a finished more costly product into the market creates some limitations to those people who cannot access the major centers where the supermarkets are located. The people living in the larger urban centers where these stores are located may not be the ones suffering the most from malnutrition and therefore not providing for those in the most need. As the product becomes more familiar and even grown domestically the benefits to the poorer more isolated people will be seen.