09 Oct International trade of quinoa
According to the document “Trends and perspectives of international trade of quinoa” conducted by FAO and ALADI, quinoa world trade has experienced a significant growth in recent past. Since 2006, exports accelerated from the region that makes up ALADI (Latin American Integration Association), including the following countries:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Chile
- Colombia
- Cuba
- Ecuador
- Mexico
- Paraguay
- Panama
- Peru
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
This phenomenon has determined the introduction in the 2012 amendment by the World Customs Organization (WCO) of the Harmonized System for classifying goods a special opening for this product (subheading 10.08.50).
Quinoa international trade grew to approximately $135 million in 2012. The trade of this product is currently highly concentrated, both by origin and destination. 82.4% of the world exports are originated in the countries that make up ALADI, particularly in three Andean countries: Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Other major exporters are United States (9.8%) and the EU (7.5%), although in both cases, much of the sales correspond to re-exports.
Origin of Latin American exports of quinoa
The structure according to origin of ALADI exports of quinoa has been modified moderately in the past 20 years, while maintaining its principal features. Bolivia was the main exporter of this region during the entire period, concentrating most of foreign sales, followed, although by a great distance, by Peru and Ecuador.
The high concentration of exports from Bolivia has decreased moderately during the period analyzed by the document. In the first five years of this period, the country concentrated 90% of foreign sales, while in the latter that percentage dropped to 75%. On the other hand, Peru has increased their participation significantly, from 6% to 23% among both ends. For its part, Ecuador, lost weight (from 4% to 2%), placing third..
Destination of the production of quinoa: United States
Moreover, more than half of the international trade of quinoa has its destination in the United States (53%). In second place, but quite away, lies Canada with 15% of the global purchases. Both countries are followed by France (8%), the Netherlands (4%), Germany (4%), ALADI (3%), Australia (3%) and the United Kingdom (2%).
Sales multiply at a great rate
Finally, it should be noted that the growth rate of regional quinoa exports has not been stable, but it has accelerated in recent years. Mainly, from 2002 to 2012, where the sales multiplied by 39.
