The quinoa problem

It’s too expensive for its growers to buy

By Culinate staff

March 28, 2011

A decade ago, few North Americans were familiar with quinoa; Corby Kummer, The Atlantic’s longtime food writer, had to explain how to pronounce the name of the tiny, protein-rich Andean seed when he sang its praises in 2002. Now that Northerners have embraced quinoa, the old supply-and-demand problem has emerged. In Bolivia, the ancestral home of the seed, quinoa is now too expensive for locals, who can only afford cheaper white-flour products even while earning more money by exporting quinoa. The frustrating results? Poor health in the countries that formerly relied on a foodstuff that the rest of the world now snaps up to improve health.