Quinoa cultivation closes distance across the Pacific

Quinoa, a nutrient-rich small grain, is poised to act as a bridge linking farmers and entrepreneurs from China and Peru across the vast Pacific Ocean.

Xiang Yonggang, a 42-year-old entrepreneur involved in the quinoa industry in Guyuan county of Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, recently wrapped up a fruitful trip to Peru.

"This was my first time in Peru. I felt the friendliness of the Peruvian people, and also experienced the long history-based quinoa cultivation culture," Xiang said.

From Nov 4 to 8, an economic and trade delegation from Guyuan visited Peru and discussed cooperation on quinoa with local authorities and experts.

After his return to Zhangjiakou on Sunday, Xiang was eager to export advanced Chinese machinery and quinoa agricultural products to Peru in the near future, and to introduce high-quality quinoa from Peru to China, achieving a win-win situation.

"Peru has a long-standing tradition and history of cultivating this nutritious grain, yielding quinoa of exceptional quality and diverse varieties," Xiang told China Daily on Wednesday, adding that his company plans to import 300 to 500 metric tons of Peruvian quinoa before next autumn.

"We plan to utilize the premium quinoa for further processing, making products such as quinoa beer and biscuits," he said.

Xiang recalled how, during his time in Peru, the country's top agricultural official showed keen appreciation for beer from Guyuan county, praising its exquisite flavor.

"The official displayed a strong interest in the value-added quinoa products we presented," Xiang said, adding that the positive feedback has inspired him to explore exporting quinoa-related goods to Peru in the future.

Having initiated quinoa cultivation experiments in his hometown of Guyuan county in 2014, Xiang now runs an agricultural enterprise that grows as well as processes the grain.

Situated in the Bashang area of Zhangjiakou, Guyuan boasts an average altitude exceeding 1,500 meters and is endowed with ample sunlight and selenium-rich soil, providing an ideal environment for the cultivation of crops such as quinoa, potatoes and other vegetables, according to Ren Qiang, the county head, who also visited Peru last week.

"The county provides an ideal environment for quinoa cultivation," Ren said.

He added that after more than a decade of development, there are now over 20 enterprises and 60 villages in Guyuan engaged in quinoa cultivation across a combined land area of 5,667 hectares, representing about one-sixth of China's total quinoa planting area.

"Our quinoa harvest has led to the creation of over 35 different processed products, including noodles and beers," Ren said, emphasizing the popularity of these items in the market.

According to Ren, there are plans to sign three cooperation agreements with organizations in Peru regarding development of the agricultural industry and exchanges of technical personnel.

"They have expressed significant interest in our comprehensive mechanized quinoa planting and harvesting techniques, along with the use of Beidou navigation technology to enhance precision in planting, management and harvesting processes," he said.

During their visit to an agricultural university in Peru, its officials expressed interest in machinery equipped with the Beidou Navigation Satellite System and in water-saving irrigation methods, expressing a desire to introduce these technologies in their country.

Ren added that although Peru has a long history of growing quinoa, the climate there is dry, with little rainfall, so the country has long sought cooperation and innovation on water-saving agriculture.

zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn