Hyderabad: Quinoa, a Central American “pseudo-cereal” noted for its higher values of protein, fiber, iron and vitamins along with low gluten content as compared to brown rice, is a trend among the elite.
However quinoa cultivators in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are in a soup. Quinoa was first promoted by the erstwhile AP government in 2013 as a “wonder millet” because it is less water intensive than rice and was showcased as a boon for cultivators in dry areas.
However, Quinoa still remains out of reach of the common man due to poor market access to cultivators.
Moreover, majority of quinoa sold in Hyderabad is imported as the local variety is more husky and bitter due to no processing. Indian quinoa farmers cannot afford the processing machinery as it costs nearly Rs 80 lakh.
Srikanth V., a quinoa retailer said, “Quinoa finds demand mostly in posh areas of Hyderabad like Banjara and Jubilee hills. I have delivered quinoa to some of the well known Tollywood actors, MLAs and MPs. However, awareness of quinoa is limited only to them. Monthly, just 150 kg of quinoa is sold. Imported variety from the US is preferred.”
R. Krishna, a local quinoa cultivator, said, “I have 15 quintal of quinoa just lying as no one is ready to buy it for Rs 150 per kilogram, a price which will at least help me get back my investment. The maximum I have been offered is Rs 60 per kg.”
Right market access can prove beneficial, an example of this is Naga Rajesh from Anantapur. He sources quinoa from local cultivators and sells it to retailers in New Delhi, Rajasthan and WB. The snack bar industry is the major market for Indian quinoa.
