OMAFRA – 2016 Regional Award Winner
Published by OMAFRA, Government of Ontario November 10, 2016.
Quinoa, one of the world’s most popular superfoods is now grown locally. Through five years of rigorous research, Katan’s Jamie Draves developed and refined a non-GMO quinoa seed suited to Ontario’s soil, climate and farming practices. It’s the first variety to be commercialized in the province and boasts higher levels of protein, iron, magnesium, fibre and zinc than its South American counterpart. The 22,000 kilograms of quinoa grown on 250 acres last year is projected to bring in $800,000 in sales — a figure Draves expects to double in 2017. With the product currently available online, at local trade shows and in health food stores, Katan is ramping up production of the profitable crop, expanding into other provinces and constructing a processing facility to keep up with demand.
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