Caracterización técnico-económica y rentabilidad del cultivo de la quinoa en regadío en España

Abstract

The continued increase in worldwide demand for quinoa in the last decade is contributing to the expansion of its cultivation outside of the traditional Andean production areas. In Spain, the main producing areas are located in Andalusia (valleys of the Guadalquivir and Alto Guadalhorce), being also cultivated in irrigated areas of Castilla y León, Aragon and Catalonia, mainly. Despite the lack of official price statistics and profitability studies, its expansion suggests a higher profitability than other extensive irrigated crops. This study evaluates the profitability of the cultivation of quinoa in different areas of Spain, based on a detailed technical-economic characterization of the cultivation cycle prepared from bibliography and consulting technicians, and considering the differing water needs of the crop in each zone. The results show that the crop’s farming practices are similar to those of other extensive irrigated crops and that its profitability is significant, aspects that undoubtedly facilitate its dissemination. However, it is also found that the profitability of the crop is very sensitive to the price of irrigation water, which makes its expansion in some areas impossible