Quinoa Region
To the left is the general map of Bolivia, located at the center of South America. The arrow points to the area where the Royal Quinoa is grown. On the satellite view below, the large white area indicates the location of the Uyuni Salt Flats.
Driving through the salt flats is an experience like no other.
Andean Naturals’ Bolivian Team examining the sifting for a new variety of quinoa. The sifting eliminates large twigs and stones. The wind blows away the husks and smaller twigs, leaving the quinoa ready for the selection process.
It only grows here, at 13,000 feet of altitude.
The world’s largest quinoa trading happens every Saturday at Challapata market, a couple of hours South of the city of Oruro. There, buying agents for various Bolivian and international companies bid for available quinoa and determine the going market rates. Since growers do not have bank accounts, their savings are all in quinoa. In order to pay for school materials or for some emergency, they must turn a part of their quinoa stock into cash at this market.
For most farmers, selling at the Challapata market means selling at low prices.
The quinoa that sourced by Andean Naturals is not purchased on the open market, but rather directly from the farmers, paying a 15% premium over the going market rates. This premium is paid to compensate the farmers for the extra effort they spend cultivating quinoa following the Royal Quinoa guidelines.
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